CARSON, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills in four sets (26-24, 25-23, 17-25, 25-19) on Saturday night inside the Torodome.
Kylah Guzman led the Bobcats (5-13, 2-7) and held match-high with a career-high 14 kills.
Callie Neufeld had 11 kills, eight digs, a service ace, and a solo block.
Morgan Wilson added eight kills to go along with a solo block and an ace. Yahaira Vazquez was good for seven kills and a solo block.
Kyra Miller notched her career-best fourth consecutive double-double with 35 assists and eleven digs. The senior setter also tallied five kills, two service aces, and two blocks.
Eve Dixon put up 13 assists and added four digs and a career-high two service aces.
Jazmine Banks earned 14 digs and a service ace. Ayana Ruffin finished with three blocks and three kills.
Other notables include three kills on four swings from Giselle Henley and the first two service aces of the season from Taylor Crayne.
As a team the Bobcats recorded their highest hitting percentage since September 18, operating at a .203 success rate. UC Merced also delivered 10 service aces for the second straight game, marking the first time with 10+ aces in consecutive road matches since the 2015 campaign.
UC Merced led for the majority of the first set, scoring the first three points and starting the frame on a 10-4 run overall highlighted by two kills and an ace from Wilson. The Bobcats also led by six points as late as 15-9 before CSUDH slowly started to chip away at the Bobcats lead and eventually came back to tie the game at 18-18. There were five more ties in the frame, but the Bobcats never trailed and had an answer for every Toro game-tying point. Tied 24-24, Guzman delivered a kill and then Dixon scored set point with an ace. UC Merced hit a match-high .302 in the set.
There were eleven ties in the second set and the scoring margin was within two points for 46 of the 48 rallies. Each team had just one three-point lead as CSUDH led 14-11 and then the Bobcats led 24-21. UC Merced immediately erased the 14-11 deficit with a 3-0 burst capped by a Miller and Ruffin block. Tied 21-21, Guzman broke the tie with a kill and Dixon followed with an ace. UC Merced went up 24-21 behind a block from Ruffin and Guzman. Two plays later, Ruffin delivered a kill for set point to put the Bobcats up 2-0 in the match.
The Bobcats scored the first three points of set three but CSUDH answered with a 5-0 spurt and never looked back. The Toros reached ten points first while leading 10-6 and extended its lead up to seven points at 16-9 with fluid offense. CSUDH led by at least five points the rest of the frame to extend the night.
A 7-2 UC Merced run early in the fourth set with four different players recording a kill gave the Bobcats some momentum with an 11-8 lead. Up 12-10 shortly after, Neufeld earned the Bobcats a sideout with a kill that put Crayne behind the service line. She delivered two aces in a 5-0 Bobcats run to create separation, going up 17-10. Head coach Dr. Anitra Brockman's team led by as many as eight points at 19-11 and 21-13. CSUDH scored four straight to make it 21-17, but the Bobcats didn't let their opponent get any closer and got a kill each from Henley and Neufeld to get to set point. The Bobcats scored match point via a CSUDH service error.
UC Merced's win snapped an eight-match losing streak and gave the Bobcats their first ever win over CSUDH.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will host Chico State on Friday, October 23. First serve from Hostetler Court inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium is scheduled for 5:00pm.
