MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's volleyball team fell in five sets to Hope International University on Friday night, 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 27-25, 25-21, 13-15).
The Bobcats (2-5) tallied season-high's of 52 kills, 47 assists, and 62 digs in the loss. Although it wasn't enough, the Bobcats 62 digs marked their most in a match since March 3, 2024.
Jared Guglielmana tied his season-high with 14 kills and delivered a season-high two service aces.
Jozef Lingenfelter finished with 13 kills, a career-high tying 12 digs, and two solo blocks.
Daniel Del Grande tied his career-high with nine kills on a .471 hitting percentage. The Bobcats middle blocker has registered four straight matches with 5+ kills hitting .400 or better.
Kaleb Cole had seven kills and a career-high nine digs, while Colin Ryan had five kills without an error and two blocks, one solo.
Toby Miller tallied 36 assists and eleven digs to notch his second double-double of the season. He also had three kills, a service ace, and a solo block.
Other notables include seven digs from Sebas Moreno, six digs and five assists from Pomaikainokeakua Kahaulelio, and five digs and a service ace from Brayden Van Kuren.
Cole Oliver led HIU with 25 kills hitting .412, nine digs, three blocks, and two service aces.
HIU overcame a night in which they recorded 29 service errors by pounding out 62 kills and registering eight blocks.
UC Merced won the opening set with timely plays down the stretch. The set was tied at 16-16 and 17-17 before the Bobcats took the lead for good. The Bobcats broke the tie and scored five of the next seven points to go up 22-19 capped by a Lingenfelter kill. After a sideout, Lingenfelter put down another kill to inch the Bobcats closer to 25 points. A HIU service error gave the Bobcats 24, and then Ryan and Guglielmana teamed up to stuff a Royals dump attempt to score set point in the 25-21 win.
There were eleven ties within the first 28 rallies of the second set, resulting in a 14-14 score. HIU followed with a 6-2 spurt to create the first separation, 22-16, and forced the Bobcats into a timeout. The Bobcats managed to pull within three points, but HIU finished off the Bobcats in the second set with an Oliver kill winning the frame 25-22. The Royals hit a match-high .462 in the set, smacking 13 kills while committing just one error.
UC Merced fell behind 10-7 in the third set before coming back to even the score 12-12 highlighted by two Guglielmana kills. The teams continued to trade points resulting in a 20-20 tie. It was also tied 21-21, but then Hope scored three of the next four points to set up set point, leading 24-22. Cole answered with a kill and a solo block to force extra points, but then Oliver proved to be too much and had three kills to win the set for his team, 27-25.
Miller had a good start to the fourth set and helped UC Merced get out to an 11-7 lead. The Bobcats extended the advantage to five points at 13-8, but the Royals fought back little by little eventually pulling even 20-20. Though, the Royals momentum stopped there with a service error and then the Bobcats got an ace from Guglielmana. Lingenfelter kept the scoring going with a solo block and a kill putting the Bobcats up 24-20. One sideout later, Hope committed a service error as the Bobcats forced the fifth set.
However, the Bobcats committed four consecutive errors early in the fifth set and fell behind 5-1. Lingenfelter gave the Bobcats life with back-to-back kills, but the Bobcats fell back behind by four points again. UC Merced faced the same four-point deficit down the stretch at 13-9 before Lingenfelter got going again with two more kills in a three-play stretch. Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team staved off two Hope match points, cutting the deficit to one point at 14-13, but then the Royals ended the match with a block from Sean Seaman and Coby Prowse, winning 15-13.
The Bobcats finished the night with a .199 hitting percentage, including hitting .348 in the fourth set but then hit .000 in the fifth set loss.
UC Merced fell to 8-20 all-time against Hope.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will pay a return visit to Hope on Friday, February 21. First serve is scheduled for 3:00pm inside Darling Pavilion in Fullerton, Calif.
