MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's volleyball team dropped a four-set match to Westcliff University, 3-1 (25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 25-23) on Friday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
Ryan Kilgore led the Bobcats (9-13, 7-2) efforts with 12 kills and a block.
Jared Schnake finished with eight kills, seven digs, two blocks, and a service ace. One of his two blocks was solo.
Jared Guglielmana added eight kills and eight digs, while Colin Ryan had seven kills on a .412 hitting percentage.
Toby Miller tallied 23 assists and tied his career-high with three service aces.
Other notables include eleven assists and four kills from Nathan Campbell, ten digs and a service ace from Sebas Moreno, and two blocks from Brennan Taylor.
The Bobcats put together an early 5-0 run in the first set to grab a 6-2 advantage with Miller behind the service line. However, Westcliff matched that run a little later and the Warriors 5-0 run put them up 12-10. A Moreno ace would account for another lead change. The two teams were tied 18-18 before Westcliff scored four straight points and embarked on a 7-2 set-ending run overall to take a 1-0 match lead. Westcliff recorded a .550 hitting percentage in the set one win.
UC Merced trailed 6-4 after ten rallies in the second set and never managed to pull even or take the lead the rest of the period. The Bobcats were within two points at the 15-13 mark and within three at 20-17 with the help of Miller, but the Warriors put an end to the set by scoring the final five points and winning the frame 25-17. Westcliff's Gabriel Pizza had two service aces and a kill in his team's set ending 5-0 run.
Taylor started set three with a solo block and Campbell followed with a kill for the Bobcats to earn a wire-to-wire win and extend the match. Taylor combined with Kilgore for another block and then a Schnake kill right after put the Bobcats up 12-7. The advantage grew to as many as six points at 20-14 with a Schnake ace. Westcliff did come within two points at 23-21, but Ryan and Guglielmana had back-to-back kills to finish the set and win it for the Bobcats 25-21.
The Warriors won the first four rallies in the fourth set and started the frame on a 14-5 run overall. UC Merced never let the Warriors lead hit double digits, but still trailed by nine points later on at 21-12 and were in danger of a Westcliff match point trailing 24-17. Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team started playing catchup in a hurry. Kilgore notched a kill and then Miller delivered two aces after a Warrior attack error to make it 24-21. Then, Kilgore smacked two more kills back-to-back and it was a one-point game at 24-23. However, Westcliff stopped the Bobcats 7-0 run there and the Warriors' IIias Laazar put an end to the match with his 15th and final kill.
The Bobcats 6-0 run was tied for the longest run of either team throughout the match.
Westcliff's setter Pawel Tuz finished the night with 47 assists and five kills. Gabriel Pizza had 17 kills, eleven digs, and three aces.
Up next, UC Merced will host University of Saint Katherine on Saturday, March 24. First serve from the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium is scheduled for 5:00pm.
