HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team used a total team-effort and caught fire offensively to sweep Westcliff University on Saturday night, 3-0 (25-21, 25-8, 25-17).
The Bobcats (11-7, 7-1) 7-1 record in Cal Pac play is their best through eight games in program history. The Bobcats previous best start was 6-2 in 2023.
UC Merced, who beat Westcliff on the road for the first time ever, recorded a .376 hitting percentage (43/11/85). The offensive success rate was the second best of the season. UC Merced limited Westcliff to a .059 hitting percentage.
Semiramis Tanasescu led the Bobcats with nine kills without an error on 12 swings for a .750 hitting percentage. Saturday marked her second straight night with nine+ kills and no errors and her .750 hitting percentage was the sixth highest in a match in program history. She also added a solo block for the third time in the last four outings.
Morgan Wilson nearly matched Tanasescu's totals as she had eight kills hitting .700 (8/1/10) to go along with two blocks, one solo.
Sera Riley and Kennedi Baker pitched in seven kills apiece with Baker recording a career-high .583 hitting percentage. Riley added seven digs and a service ace.
Kyra Miller was a huge part of the Bobcats success with 24 assists, three service aces, three digs, and two kills. Ellie Gordon had eight assists.
Destiny Lei Ramilo led the team in digs with nine.
Other notables include three service aces from Alexa Ultreras, three kills each from Kylah Guzman and Yahaira Vazquez, and two service aces from Serena Choi.
Westcliff took control of the first set with a 9-1 opening run before the Bobcats were able to sideout with a Baker kill. Then after the teams traded kills, a Tanasescu kill put Ultreras behind the service line and the Bobcats scored ten straight points to take a 13-11 lead. Tanasescu had four kills in the run, while Riley put down a pair. The game of runs then shifted to Westcliff as the home team built an 18-14 lead. Back-to-back UC Merced kills allowed the Bobcats to have more life and then following a Westcliff kill, the Bobcats were able to jump back in front with a 5-0 run highlighted by three consecutive kills. Shortly after, Ultreras scored set point with a kill as the Bobcats came back to win the set 25-21.
UC Merced led wire-to-wire in the second set. Wilson started the dominance with back-to-back points and then Miller delivered back-to-back service aces. Then leading 8-4, head coach Ai Prachumsri's team embarked on an 8-0 run and a 17-4 set-ending run overall to go up 2-0 in the match. The Bobcats led by double figures as early as the 14-4 mark. UC Merced hit .611 (13/2/18) in the frame while holding Westcliff to .048 (5/4/21).
The Bobcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third set on their way to a sweep, starting with Miller's third ace. Westcliff attempted to inch their way back into it pulling within two points at 9-7, but the Bobcats answered with another 5-0 run highlighted by Choi's two aces. Vazquez had an ace shortly after and then a pair of Guzman kills and a Tanasescu solo block put the Bobcats up 19-9. The Bobcats then led by eleven points at 21-10 after a Tangi Netane kill. Westcliff had some fight left nearly cutting the deficit in half, but a Warrior attack error ultimately ended the match shortly after.
With the win, UC Merced improved to 4-3 all-time against Westcliff.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will play Pacific Union College and Simpson University at the second Cal Pac Jamboree on Friday, October 25 at Pacific Auditorium in Angwin, Calif.
