MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team battled but fell in five sets to No. 14 Cal Poly Pomona on Friday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium, 3-2 (24-26, 25-14, 25-12, 26-28, 15-11).
Despite the loss, the Bobcats (5-18, 2-10) went five sets with a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time in the NCAA Division II era. Friday marked the Bobcats fifth matchup against a Top 25 NCAA Division II program.
Callie Neufeld led the Bobcats with 13 kills for her 12th double-figure kill performance of the season. The freshman added three digs and a solo block.
Yahaira Vazquez logged ten kills and two blocks, her fourth game this year reaching both those marks in the same match.
Ayana Ruffin neared a career-high with eight kills on a .375 hitting percentage to go along with two solo blocks.
Morgan Wilson tied her career-high with four service aces and added six kills and two blocks.
Kylah Guzman had five kills and a solo block.
Kyra Miller recorded 27 assists and ten digs for her eleventh double-double of the season. Miller supported her double-double with a solo block, a service ace, and a kill.
Jazmine Banks tallied 15 digs and became just the fourth player in program history with 400+ digs in a season.
Other notables include eleven assists from Eve Dixon and a service ace from Jourdyn Ozeta-Banks.
UC Merced battled to a first-set victory and led for the majority of the set. The Bobcats biggest lead was five points at 20-15 behind strong play from the middle blockers both at the net and behind the service line. However, CPP fought back to tie the game at 22-22. Vazquez gave the Bobcats the lead right back with a kill, but the Broncos jumped in front with a kill of their own and then a service ace to have a chance at set point leading 24-23. Wilson extended the set with a kill, earning the Bobcats a sideout and then putting herself back to serve. She immediately delivered an ace to put her team up 25-24 and then Ruffin captured set point with a kill.
After alternating points to start the second set, Cal Poly Pomona created separation with a 7-0 run to garner a 12-4 lead. CPP led by at least six points the rest of the way and reached the 20-point mark while leading 20-12. CPP took its first double figure lead at 24-14 to even the match at 1-1. CPP recorded a .526 hitting percentage in the frame.
Cal Poly Pomona stayed hot in the third set and operated at a .423 success rate. Leading 14-10 midway through the frame, the Broncos pulled away for good with six straight points and used an 11-2 set-ending run overall to take a 2-1 lead in the match. The Broncos first 10-point lead was 20-10, ultimately winning the set 25-12.
Set four was nearly identical to set one. The Bobcats led for the majority of the set, including by four points at 20-16, but were staring at a Bronco match point later on at 24-23. UC Merced also had to stave off a match point at 25-24 and stayed in the match due to Broncos errors. Then tied 26-26, Neufeld notched back-to-back kills to win 28-26 and force the fifth set.
The Broncos jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fifth set with the help of back-to-back overpass kills. CPP remained in front by four points at 10-6, but then the Bobcats reeled off three straight kills, including back-to-back Neufeld kills. A CPP attack error then allowed the Bobcats to pull even 10-10. CPP ended the Bobcats threat with back-to-back kills and used a 5-1 match-ending run, winning the set 15-11.
UC Merced dropped its fifth straight five-set match.
Up next, UC Merced will host Cal State LA for Senior Day and the season finale at 1:00pm on Saturday, November 7 inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.
