LOS ANGELES - The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team fell 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-19) to Cal State LA on Friday night.
Kyra Miller led the Bobcats (5-15, 4-7) with 12 assists, seven kills, three digs, and two blocks. Miller finished with a .357 hitting percentage.
Sera Riley added seven kills and three digs.
Morgan Wilson and Yahaira Vazquez pitched in five kills apiece. Wilson also had two blocks, one solo, and passed Dominique Andrews for fourth in program history with 179 career blocks.
Semiramis Tanasescu was good for three blocks and three kills. The senior moved into the program's all-time top ten list in sets played and kills on Friday night. Tanasescu passed Emily Romo with 470 career kills and Lexus Lagumbay with 333 career sets played.
Other notables include nine assists and a career-high tying three service aces from Ellie Gordon, seven digs from Taylor Crayne, and six digs from Jazmine Banks.
UC Merced never led in the first set but were within two points late in the frame trailing 19-17. Cal State LA held off the Bobcats from there and used a 6-1 set-ending run to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Bobcats led 3-2 in the second set after a Miller kill but Cal State LA responded with a 4-0 spurt and the Bobcats couldn't regain the lead. UC Merced's biggest deficit in the set was six points at the 19-13 mark. The Bobcats pulled within four points with the help of Tanasescu before falling 25-20.
There were five ties and two lead changes early in the third set, including the Bobcats leading 8-7 after a Natalie Riley kill. After three straight Golden Eagle kills, UC Merced never led again. A little later, LA used another minirun to build its lead to 16-10. The Bobcats were within three at 22-19 following a N. Riley and Wilson block but the block would end up being the Bobcats last point in the straight set loss.
Up next, UC Merced will play at Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday, October 25. First serve from Kim Cherniss Court at Coussoulis Arena in San Bernardino, Calif., is scheduled for 3:00pm.
