SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team fell in four sets (25-15, 25-23, 21-25, 25-16) to University of Saint Katherine on Thursday night in a battle of two of the previously three undefeated teams in the Cal Pac. At the conclusion of Thursday, USK stands as the conference's last time without a loss and sit at 4-0 in league play.
The Bobcats (4-11, 3-1) loss snapped a season-long three-match winning streak.
Alexa Ultreras led the Bobcats with eleven kills, eight digs, and two service aces, while reigning Cal Pac Attacker of the Week Sera Riley added eight kills and five digs.
Bianca Malaluan was good for 13 assists, eight digs, and held match-high with four service aces.
Serena Choi pitched in 10 assists, six kills, and five digs.
Other individual notables include nine digs from Destiny Lei Ramilo, four kills and three blocks from Kennedi Baker, and three blocks from Semiramis Tanasescu.
UC Merced tallied nine total service aces in the match, their most in a four-set affair since August 25.
The Bobcats never led in the first set and trailed by at least four points from the 13-9 mark on. UC Merced was within five points a 20-15, but USK scored five unanswered to take a 1-0 lead in the match. USK hit .375 in the first set while limiting the Bobcats to a .000.
Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team did grab the first lead in the second set but found themselves playing catchup for the rest of the frame. The Bobcats managed to turn an 18-12 deficit into a 21-20 deficit with the help of Ultreras and Baker, but USK held off the comeback efforts and ultimately won the second set 25-23.
USK started the third set with four points in a row and led 9-4 before the Bobcats started to string together some unanswered scores of their own. A pair of Baker kills paired with a couple Bobcat service aces tied the score 11-11, but the Bobcats didn't jump ahead until the 21-20 mark. Then tied 21-21, Ultreras put the Bobcats back in front with a kill and followed with a service ace to lead the Bobcats to a 25-21 set three victory.
Saint Katherine's .684 hitting percentage was too much for the Bobcats to overcome in the fourth set. USK led 11-4 early on and extended the lead to eight points down the stretch leading 21-13. The two teams traded sideouts with USK prevailing 25-16 to win the match 3-1 and improve to 4-0 in Cal Pac play.
Reigning NAIA National Defensive Player of the Week Alexcis Morris led the Firebirds with eleven kills on a .588 hitting percentage and five blocks.
Looking ahead, UC Merced visits Providence Christian College on Friday, September 15 at 7:00pm in Pasadena, Calif.
