MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team started 5-0 in California Pacific Conference play for the first time in program history with a four-set win over Simpson University on Friday night in the 2024 home opener, 3-1 (25-16, 25-11, 18-25, 25-20).
With the win, the Bobcats (9-6, 5-0) also extended their overall winning streak to six matches which ties the program record originally set in the 2015 campaign.
UC Merced outhit Simpson .244 to .113 in the win and served eight aces compared to just the Red Hawks two. The Bobcats .970 reception percentage was their second best mark of the season.
Sera Riley led the Bobcats with a season-high tying 17 kills and a career-high 20 digs for her fifth double-double in 2024. Her 20 digs one-upped her previous career-high of 19 digs set last Friday. Riley reached 17 kills on a season-best .429 hitting percentage and her offensive output pushed her ahead of Emily Romo and Olanasaze Ojo for eighth in program history with 493 career kills. Riley also had two service aces and a solo block in the home opener.
Alexa Ultreras finished with 12 kills, eleven digs, and three service aces. The Merced, Calif., native is up to seven double-double's this year and 17 for her career.
Kennedi Baker registered a career-high 12 kills recording a .476 hitting percentage. Baker and Ultreras also had a block assist.
Kyra Miller tallied 34 assists, seven digs, six kills, and two blocks. It was her third time in the last seven matches recoding at least 30 assists and five kills.
Morgan Wilson notched five blocks, one solo. Destiny Lei Ramilo and Jaide Davis turned in nine digs and a career-high tying eight digs, respectively.
Other notables include three kills in the fourth set for Serena Choi, six fourth-set assists for Ellie Gordon, two service aces in the second set for Davis, and a third set solo block by Semiramis Tanasescu.
The Bobcats outhit Simpson in the three sets they won, including outhitting Simpson .333 to .053 in the opening frame. Miller tallied the Bobcats first kill and the two teams traded sideouts through the early stages of the set resulting in a 10-10 tie. Baker broke the tie with a kill for the first of four straight points and the Bobcats never looked back, finishing the set on a 15-6 run to go up 1-0 in the match for the fifth time during the six-match winning streak. The Bobcats longest spurt in the 15-6 run was a 7-0 run with Jazmine Banks behind the service line. Banks had one ace.
Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team jumped out to a 6-1 lead in set two and ultimately outhit Simpson .357 to -.095 en route to the 25-11 win. The Bobcats led by eight points at 12-4 following a Baker and Wilson block and then extended the advantage to double figures at 21-11. The double figure lead came in the middle of a set-ending 7-0 run highlighted by two Ultreras aces. Riley had two kills in the last stretch.
The Bobcats trailed for the majority of the third set but did put together five straight points with half of them from Baker to jump in front 10-8. After a couple ties, Simpson then took the lead for good at 13-12. The Red Hawks reached 20 points with a 20-15 lead after back-to-back points from Tiara Manns and then a little later captured set point with a Mallory Swenson kill, winning the set 25-18.
UC Merced and Simpson went back and forth early on in the fourth set with three lead changes but then a 4-0 run with a pair of Ultreras kills created initial separation. Later on, a Riley service ace put UC Merced up 15-11 but then Simpson managed to pull even at 16-16. Choi broke the tie with a kill and Ultreras followed with another kill helping the Bobcats garner the final momentum they needed. Then up 21-19, Riley led the Bobcats match-ending 4-1 run with three kills and a Red Hawk hitting error gave the Bobcats match point.
UC Merced improved to 21-7 all-time against Simpson including 12-3 at home.
Up next, UC Merced will play at La Sierra University on Thursday, October 17 in Riverside, Calif. First serve from Alumni Pavilion is scheduled for 5:00pm.
