MERCED, Calif. –The University of California, Merced women's basketball team fell short on Senior Night, falling 69-62 to Simpson University in the regular season finale on Saturday inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats (11-14, 11-9) finish the year with double figure Cal Pac wins for the third time in the last four seasons and will continue their campaign next weekend in the California Pacific Conference Championships.

Deyliana Lewis, one of four Bobcat seniors taking Hostetler Court for the final time, left her mark on the night with an impressive all-around performance recording 18 points, ten rebounds, six assists, four blocks, and three steals. It was her second straight 18-10 game and her ninth double-double of the season overall. Saturday night also marked her third 15-10-5 game and second straight four-block performance. With her blocks total, she passed University of Antelope Valley alumna Alexia Budd for sixth in Cal Pac history with 76 career blocks.

Damilola Sule returned to the Bobcats lineup after missing the last two games and registered a 13-point, 13-rebound outing for her ninth consecutive double-double and 19th of the year overall. Nine of Sule's 13 rebounds came on the offensive glass.

Seniors Victoria Farris and Tiffany Nguyen scored 14 and nine points on their Senior Night, respectively. Farris also grabbed four rebounds and recorded two assists. Nguyen buried two three-pointers, giving her multiple three-pointers in three of the last four games.

Nguyen's first of two three-pointers sparked an 8-0 UC Merced run midway through the first quarter to grab a lead that held for the next 20 minutes of gametime. The Bobcats led 20-17 after ten minutes of play and extended their lead to as many as eight points on two occasions in the second period.

The Bobcats maintained an advantage for the first five minutes of the third quarter and led 39-35 before a Simpson 6-0 run followed to give the Red Hawks their first lead since 8-5 in the first quarter. Simpson kept at it and led 49-43 heading into the final frame.

Simpson extended their lead to double figures at 59-48 just over three minutes into the fourth. It was 61-52 with Simpson in front when the Bobcats started one final push, going on an 8-0 run highlighted by a pair of nice Lewis drives to the basket to pull within a single point with 90 seconds to go. However, Simpson scored on their next trip down the floor and would end up icing the game at the charity stripe shortly after.

UC Merced finished the night shooting 34% (22-64) from the floor and 68% (15-22) from the foul line.

The Bobcats outrebounded Simpson 38-24 in the loss. Each team had 16 turnovers.

UC Merced's senior's Nia Smiley, Nguyen, Lewis, and Farris were honored prior to the game.

Looking ahead, fifth-seeded UC Merced will play fourth-seeded Westcliff University in the California Pacific Conference Championship Opening Round on Saturday, February 25 at 2:30pm PST at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, Ariz.