SEASIDE, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team earned its first ever CCAA win in a five-set thriller on Saturday night at The Kelp Bed, 3-2 (19-25, 25-12, 25-23, 21-25, 18-16).
The Bobcats (2-9, 1-1) win was also the first CCAA win across all sports in UC Merced history. This is the first year competing in the CCAA.
The gritty road win was the Bobcats first five-set true road win since September 21, 2023 at PUC.
Sera Riley led UC Merced with a season-high 14 kills, 11 digs, three service aces, and two blocks, one solo. Riley's double-double was her second straight and third of the season. Also of note, she passed Jade Fachin for ninth in program history with 570 career digs.
Semiramis Tanasescu finished with a season-high ten kills on a .389 hitting percentage and a season-high four blocks. Two of her blocks were solo.
Kyra Miller tallied 27 assists, eight kills, a career-high tying five blocks, four digs, and three service aces. She passed Caroline Mack for sixth in program history with 1,028 career assists.
Ellie Gordon recorded 20 assists and two service aces.
Ayana Ruffin recorded five blocks to go along with four kills on seven swings without an error.
Other notables include nine kills from Yahaira Vazquez, seven kills and two blocks from Kylah Guzman, 12 digs from Jazmine Banks, and nine digs from Taylor Crayne. Kaitlyn Anderson delivered a service ace for the fifth consecutive match.
UC Merced posted a season-high 12 blocks.
The Bobcats and Otters went point-for-point to start the match resulting in an 8-7 CSUMB lead after 15 rallies. Both teams traded runs after that. CSUMB scored four straight points before the Bobcats responded with a 5-0 run to pull even at 12-12 highlighted by a pair of Riley aces. The scored was tied 14-14 before the Otters started to seize control, using a 6-1 burst to go up 20-15. The Otters led by at least four points the rest of the set and won it 25-19.
A 6-1advantage with the help of a pair of Miller service aces was enough momentum for the Bobcats to runaway with the second set. A little later, Riley delivered back-to-back-to-back kills to push the Bobcats lead to 12-5. Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team led by double-digits as early as the 15-5 mark. UC Merced also led by ten points at 20-10. Up 21-12, the Bobcats put the finishing touches on the frame with a 4-0 set-ending run. The Bobcats hit a match-high .448 in one of their most dominant sets of the year.
The third set was a back-and-forth battle early on that featured six ties in the first 16 rallies, ending in an 8-8 tie. The Bobcats then created some separation with a 6-1 run to go up 14-9, but CSUMB chipped away and eventually pulled even late in the frame at 21-21. A Ruffin kill put the Bobcats back in front that was then matched by an Otters kill. The two teams were tied 22-22 and 23-23 in search to go up 2-1 in the match. Miller made it 24-23 with a kill and then Tanasescu combined with Guzman for a block to capture set point.
The Otters answered in the fourth set and led from the fifth rally on, including using a 6-0 run to own a 12-5 advantage. Miller followed with a couple kills to slow down the Otters, but the Bobcats deficit was still seven points as late as the 20-13 mark. The Bobcats made it a game late that started with a Riley kill followed by a service ace. Shortly after, a Tanasescu kill brought the Bobcats within three points, 21-18. However, the Bobcats couldn't cut into the deficit any further and fell 25-21.
Set five saw the Otters take the first two-point lead at 6-4. Vazquez followed with a kill and it sparked a 3-0 Bobcat run to regain the advantage 7-6. It was the Otters who led 8-7 when the teams switched sides. The Bobcats trailed 10-9 before a Guzman kill changed the momentum. Her kill tied the game 10-10, and it was the first of four consecutive for the Bobcats capped by a Tanasescu kill that put UC Merced up 13-10. UC Merced led 14-11 serving for match point, but the Otters rallied to tie it 14-14 with solid offense. The Bobcats also served for match point at 15-14, 16-15, and 17-16. Riley was serving for the latter, and Ruffin and Miller denied the Otters attack with the Bobcats 12th block of the match for the win.
Up next, UC Merced will host Cal Poly Humboldt inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium on Friday, September 26 at 7:00pm.
