TURLOCK, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team recorded a season-high 12 blocks but it wasn't enough as the Bobcats fell 3-2 (25-22, 18-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12) to Jessup University at the Stan State Tournament.
The Bobcats (2-5) five-set match was their first of the year, second straight against Jessup dating back to last season.
Three Bobcats tallied double-double's, including Kyra Miller for the first time in her career.
Miller finished with 36 assists and a career-high 14 digs. She also had a career-high tying four blocks and four service aces in the top outing of her career.
Alexa Ultreras and Sera Riley turned in their second double-double of the tournament.
Ultreras turned in 14 kills and a season-high 13 digs. Riley was good for 12 kills and eleven digs. Both Bobcats also had two blocks.
Semiramis Tanasescu led the Bobcats defensively and posted season-high's with seven kills and six blocks, one solo. The junior recorded a .400 hitting percentage.
Morgan Wilson added six kills and a season-high five blocks.
Destiny Lei Ramilo pitched in four service aces and nine digs. She is now one ace away from tying the program-record currently held by Valeria Martinez.
Other notables include five kills and three blocks from Kennedi Baker, nine digs from Haley Branley, and seven digs from Serena Choi.
A game of runs was the story of the first set. The two teams traded 5-0 spurts to begin the match, but then Jessup was able to string together another 4-0 run and a 5-0 run later on to help push them to an opening set win. Despite all that, the Bobcats still led 20-19 before eventually falling 25-22. Jessup pounded a match-high 19 kills in the first set.
The Bobcats bounced back nicely in the second set jumping out to a 6-1 lead and holding the advantage the rest of the way. Baker and the Bobcats middle blockers were a big part of the early success. UC Merced led by six points at 12-6 and extended their advantage to 16-8 highlighted by back-to-back Riley kills. Later on, a Tanasescu kill was good for the Bobcats 24th point and then Ultreras scored set point with a kill of her own to even the match at one. A huge part of the Bobcats set two success was their .314 hitting percentage.
Set three was back and forth with five early lead changes. However, Jessup claimed the final lead change breaking the 10-10 tie and built a three-point advantage shortly after at 14-11. The Bobcats were able to pull even at 16-16 with back-to-back Miller service aces but couldn't regain the advantage the rest of the frame and fell 25-20.
The Bobcats had to play from behind for the majority of the fourth set and overcame multiple three-point deficits to force the decisive fifth set, including erasing a 17-14 deficit with a set-changing 5-0 run. Jazmine Banks was behind the service line during the run. A little later, the Bobcats led 24-21 before Lei Ramilo scored set point with a service ace.
UC Merced punched first in the fifth set jumping out to a 3-0 lead, but Jessup countered with a 6-0 run and led 8-5 when the teams switched sides. When the teams restarted play, Riley delivered a kill and it sparked a 4-0 UC Merced run to jump back in front. Then, Tanasescu and Miller combined for a block that put the Bobcats on top 12-11. The block ended up being the Bobcats final point of the match, and Jessup scored four straight to finish off their win in five sets.
Up next, UC Merced will play Dominican (11:30am) and Menlo College (4:30pm) on the final day of the Stan State Tournament at Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena in Turlock, Calif.
