SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team fell twice on the first day of the USK Tournament, dropping matches against first-time opponents Friends University and OUAZ. The Bobcats fell just short of a reverse sweep in the second match.
vs. Friends | L 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-22)
vs. OUAZ | L 3-2 (25-14, 25-23, 25-27, 22-25, 15-12)
Alexa Ultreras led the Bobcats efforts with double figure kills in each match, including notching 11 kills and 16 digs against OUAZ for her second double-double of the season. The Merced, Calif., native had ten kills and two service aces in the tournament opener.
Libero Destiny Lei Ramilo recorded 15 digs against Friends and 17 digs vs. OUAZ. She also tallied four service aces on the day and moved past Rachael Schaefer and Hannah Castillo for sixth on the program's all-time service aces list with 73 career service aces.
Serena Choi combined for 16 kills and five blocks on the day, while Sera Riley was good for 14 kills and seven digs.
Morgan Wilson turned in the best blocking performance by a Bobcat this year with six blocks, one solo, against OUAZ. Wilson also tallied a career-high eight kills in the match.
Ellie Gordon recorded her first career double-double in the late afternoon contest, going for career-high's of 19 assists and 13 digs.
Other individual notables against OUAZ include 12 assists from Bianca Malaluan, five kills from Alyssa Dudley, and three service aces each from Kyra Miller and Haley Branley. Branley had 13 digs against Friends, Kylah Guzman recorded three blocks.
The Bobcats were swept by Friends and were on the verge of getting swept by OUAZ prior to overcoming a 22-21 deficit in the third set, staving off an OUAZ set point, and then winning the frame 27-25 behind a Lei Ramilo service ace. In the fourth set, a 9-1 run turned a 16-14 deficit into a 23-17 advantage. Ultreras and Kennedi Baker each had two kills in the run that the Bobcats used to force the decisive fifth set.
UC Merced scored the first two points of the fifth set but were unable to recover after falling behind 9-4, ultimately falling 15-12.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats tallied a season-high 12 service aces in the match and neared a season-high with seven blocks.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will play Carroll College at 10:00am on Friday followed by Life Pacific University at 2:00pm. Both matches are part of the USK Tournament and will be played at the USK Sports Complex in USK Sports Complex.
