MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's volleyball team recorded a season-high .484 hitting percentage in a sweep over Park University Gilbert on Saturday night, 3-0 (25-9, 25-12, 25-14).
The Bobcats (4-10, 2-0) hitting percentage was their highest since March 23, 2021. With the win, the Bobcats are 2-0 in Cal Pac play for the second consecutive season.
Jared Guglielmana and Brennan Taylor tallied seven kills each. Guglielmana hit .778 (7/0/9) and added three digs, while Taylor's kills output marked a season-high.
Jozef Lingenfelter made his season debut in the third set and smacked five kills on six swings without an error. He also had an ace to move ahead of Jacob Shelton for seventh on the program's all-time service aces list with 31 career aces.
Nathan Campbell and Max Niederberger had four and three kills, respectively, without an error.
Campbell also had 12 assists, two service aces, and two blocks. Toby Miller added 13 assists.
Sebas Moreno tallied a career-high six service aces and became just the third player in program history joining Emmanuel Egun and Kainoa Ferguson with at least six aces in a match.
Other notables include three kills for Mason Stokes' in his collegiate debut, and two solo blocks from Kaleb Cole.
UC Merced jumped out to an 8-3 lead early on in the first set and extended the advantage to double figures as early as the 15-5 mark after Moreno's third ace of the night. Then leading 17-8 shortly after, a Guglielmana kill sparked an 8-1 set ending run to go up 1-0 in the match. Ryan Kilgore had two kills and a block in the run.
The Bobcats also grabbed a 10-point advantage at 15-5 in the second set highlighted by strong play from Campbell. Back-to-back Moreno aces put UC Merced up 19-6 and then a little later Guglielmana scored points 24 and 25 with a pair of kills as the Bobcats won the frame 25-13.
The two teams were tied 7-7 in the third set before the Bobcats took over for good with a 10-0 run. Lingenfelter turned in three of his five kills in the surge, while Moreno notched his sixth ace. Lingenfelter scored two of the Bobcats next three points with an ace and a kill to put his team at 20. The Bobcats led 22-12 after a Cole solo block and then it was Taylor and Campbell to team up for a block for match point.
UC Merced held Park to a -.103 hitting percentage and allowed just 13 Buccaneer kills. Also of note, Park recorded just two aces.
UC Merced's win over Park Gilbert was their eighth in a row dating back to 2021.
Up next, the Bobcats will play at Westcliff University on Friday, March 1. First serve from the Jordan Lawley Facility in Irvine, Calif., is scheduled for 6:00pm.
