SEASIDE, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team fell in straight sets to Westmont College and Cal State Monterey Bay on the final day of the Otter Invitational on Saturday.

Match One | Westmont 3, UC Merced 0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-23)

The Bobcats played Westmont for the first time since 2021 and for just the fifth time in program history.

Despite the loss, Kyra Miller led the Bobcats efforts with career-high's of 30 assists and nine digs.

Sera Riley filled the stat sheet with 12 kills, eight digs, and neared her career-high with five service aces.

Kennedi Baker turned in seven kills on a .462 hitting percentage, while Semiramis Tanasescu added five kills without an error on eight swings. Both Baker and Tanasescu also notched a block.

Other notables include 12 digs and five kills from Alexa Ultreras, a career-high tying eight digs from Jaide Davis, and two service aces from Jazmine Banks.

Taylor Distelberg led Westmont with nine kills hitting .571 and three blocks, two solo. Alexis Dennick had eight blocks for the Warriors.

The Bobcats led 10-5 in the first set but then fell victim to a 17-3 Westmont run and couldn't recover after that, ultimately falling 25-20.

The Bobcats never led in the second set but did pull within one point on a couple occasions including at 9-8 and as late as 18-17.

Set three saw seven ties in the first 20 rallies, however the Bobcats couldn't break the tie to jump in front. Instead, Westmont broke the 10-10 tie and used a 5-0 run to create separation. Although behind, Riley's service aces kept the Bobcats in the game and head coach Ai Prachumsri's team battled back to take a 22-21 lead with the help of Destiny Lei Ramilo. Then tied 23-23, the Warriors benefited from a UC Merced attack error and then Dennick put the match away with a kill to finish off the sweep.

UC Merced fell to 0-5 all-time against Westmont.

Match Two | Cal State Monterey Bay 3, UC Merced 0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-23)

UC Merced wrapped up the Otter Invitational on Saturday night falling in straight sets to Cal State Monterey Bay. The meeting was the first ever between the soon to be conference foes.

Late in the second set, Miller broke into the program's top ten all-time assists list passing Cassandra Diaz. The Bobcats sophomore finished with 14 assists overall in the match and now has 219 in her career.

Sera Riley was good for seven kills in the nightcap. Middle blockers Tanasescu and Morgan Wilson pitched in four kills and a solo block each.

Haley Branley finished with eight digs and a service ace.

For CSUMB, Mikayla Nolte and Abby Witzansky combined for 16 kills and 25 swings without an error. The Otters hit .340 as a squad.

The tournament host grabbed a double figure lead in all three sets en route to the sweep.

Looking ahead, UC Merced will begin a five-match slate at the Stan State Tournament beginning on Thursday, September 12. The Bobcats first match inside Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena in Turlock, Calif., is against Chico State at 3:00pm.