CARSON, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team fell in straight sets to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday night in the 2025 season finale.
The Bobcats (6-21, 5-13) fell by set scores of 25-23, 25-9, 25-20.
Kyra Miller led the Bobcats efforts with 13 assists, four kills, three digs, and a block.
Semiramis Tanasescu had six kills without an error on 13 attempts for a .462 hitting percentage. With her performance, Tanasescu finished the season with a .340 hitting percentage which is the second highest hitting percentage ever for a Bobcat in a season. The senior middle blocker added a solo block in her final collegiate match.
Sera Riley finished her career with eleven digs and four kills. By playing all three sets, Riley passed Haley Branley for tenth all-time in program history with 337 career sets played.
Morgan Wilson had four kills on five swings without an error to go along with three blocks.
Ellie Gordon recorded ten assists, four digs, a kill, and a service ace to close out her UC Merced career on the court.
Natalie Riley, Yahaira Vazquez, and Kylah Guzman pitched in three kills and a block each.
Other notables include six digs from Jazmine Banks and a block for Giselle Henley.
UC Merced held the lead early in the first set until a 3-0 CSUDH spurt put the Toros up 10-8. The Bobcats jumped back in front shortly after as Miller smacked back-to-back kills and then combined with Wilson for a block. Wilson then joined Guzman for a block to put the Bobcats up 14-12. The Bobcats led 18-15 after a S. Riley kill but the Toros battled back to score four straight and go up 19-18. The Bobcats benefitted from a couple Toro errors to reach 20 points first and then a Tanasescu kill helped UC Merced get ahead 22-20. However, the Toros got a sideout and used a 5-1 set ending run to win the first set 25-23.
Cal State Dominguez Hills controlled the second set with a .542 hitting percentage while limiting the Bobcats to a -.143 mark. CSUDH jumped out to a 6-1 lead and extended the lead to double figures at the 17-7 mark. UC Merced scored a point off a service error and with a Tanasescu kill, but that was it the rest of the set in the 25-9 set two loss.
There were eight ties and five lead changes early in the third set with the Bobcats final lead coming at 11-10. CSUDH followed with a 7-0 run that included three straight kills at the end of the surge to go up 17-11. UC Merced battled back with the help of Tanasescu and Vazquez to come within three points at both 17-14 and 22-19, but the Bobcats couldn't get any closer to forcing a fourth set. The Toros used a trio of kills to finish off their senior night and their season in sweep fashion.
CSUDH maintained a .402 hitting percentage throughout the match.
UC Merced's three seniors closes their careers holding many top ten spots in the record books.
Riley finished her career ranked third with 870 kills and 105 aces, while finishing top ten with 337 sets played and 731 digs.
Gordon, who had a career-high 331 assists this year, finishes ninth in program history with 920 assists.
Tanasescu ranks top three with a .272 career hitting percentage, 229 total blocks, and 61 solo blocks. She finished fifth with 357 sets played and ninth with 504 kills.
UC Merced's first season in the CCAA and NCAA Division II saw the Bobcats sweep the season series against Cal State Monterey Bay and pick up wins against four other teams, including CCAA Tournament qualifier Stanislaus State.
