HONOLULU, Hawaii – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team took the opening set from No. 24 Chaminade but fell short to the Silverswords 3-1 (25-27, 25-12, 25-21, 25-11) in the final match of the Aloha State Showdown on Saturday night.
Sera Riley led the Bobcats (1-7) with ten kills for her second 10+ kill outing of the season. She also had two digs, a block, and a service ace.
Yahaira Vazquez recorded seven kills and a block, while Morgan Wilson finished with five kills and a season-high tying four blocks.
Kyra Miller posted 14 assists, seven digs, three kills, two service aces, and a block.
Other notables include nine digs from Jazmine Banks, eight assists from Ellie Gordon, two solo blocks from Semiramis Tanasescu, and two service aces from Kaitlyn Anderson. Taylor Crayne added a service ace for the fifth consecutive match.
Saturday night marked UC Merced's first match against a Top 25 opponent this year and they got off to a strong start by winning the first set 27-25. The Bobcats had to play from behind to win the set, overcoming a 7-3 deficit and a 10-7 deficit. Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team then used an 8-1 run to take a 15-11 lead, but found themselves trailing late in the frame 23-20. Wilson and Vazquez responded to the deficit with back-to-back kills and then a Miller service ace pulled the Bobcats even 23-23. Both teams had a chance at set point, but it was the Bobcats who took advantage of their second opportunity and Vazquez won it for the Bobcats with her fourth kill of the set.
The Bobcats grabbed a 4-1 lead to start the second set with the help of two Anderson service aces. The Bobcats also led 6-3 but fell victim of a 12-2 Chaminade run and couldn't bounce back. The run put UC Merced behind 15-8. UC Merced trailed by double digits at 20-10 while falling 25-12.
UC Merced fell behind 6-2 in the third set and trailed 16-10 later in the frame. Led by Tanasescu and Wilson, the Bobcats started to chip away at the deficit late and pulled within a point at 21-20. However trailing 22-21 after a Tanasescu solo block, the Silverswords reeled off three kills in a row to take the frame 25-21 and go up 2-1 in the match.
Chaminade raced out to a 7-0 lead in set four and continued to have success building a double-digit lead as early as the 12-2 mark. The Bobcats were unable to close the gap, ultimately dropping the fourth set 25-11. Chaminade hit .375 in the set while holding the Bobcats to a -.115 mark.
Up next, UC Merced will play at Jessup in Rocklin, Calif., on Tuesday, September 16. First serve is scheduled for 7:00pm from Warrior Arena.
