University of California, Merced – Women’s Volleyball Unable to Top Saint Katherine

MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women’s volleyball team won the first set but ultimately lost the match to University of Saint Katherine on Friday evening, 1-3 (26-24, 13-25, 15-25, 19-25) on Hostetler Court inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium. 

The Bobcats (4-11, 4-2) have won the opening set in four of the last five matches, however this is the first time this season the Bobcats have lost the match after winning set one.

Despite the loss, Olivia Harden continued to impress over the homestand and held match-high with 17 kills. She is the first Bobcat to record 17 kills in back-to-back conference matches since Dominique Andrews accomplished that feat in October of 2019. Nine of Harden’s 17 kills Friday night came in the opening set.

Lexus Lagumbay was also strong in the rematch of last year’s Cal Pac Tournament Championship match as she tallied 16 digs, eight kills, two blocks and a service ace. The senior has now extended her service ace streak to a season-long four consecutive matches. Lagumbay’s two blocks tied her season high.

Edwena Wong was good for 14 digs, while Olanasaze Ojo pitched in six kills and four blocks. Wong has now recorded at least 13 digs in three straight matches for the first time in her career. The last Bobcat with a streak of its kind was Madison Mayoralgo in August of 2019. 

Serena Choi and Bianca Malaluan recorded 18 and eleven assists, respectively. Choi also held team-high with two service aces, her second highest total this season. Malaluan neared her season-high with seven digs.

Other individual notables include seven digs from Jalen Carey and two blocks each from Brittany Johnson and Lacey Gallagher. Johnson and Gallagher have multiple blocks in three matches this year.

The Bobcats downfall was their hitting percentage, finishing with a .023 and getting blocked 14 times. Three Saint Katherine players had 4+ blocks, led by Breann DeLoye’s seven. 

UC Merced’s only set hitting at least a .100 was the first set where they won 26-24 and maintained a .184 hitting percentage. The Bobcats also overcame multiple deficits to win the set, including a 14-8 deficit and a 20-16 deficit. Harden willed the Bobcats back into the match both times and had back-to-back-to-back kills at one point. Then trailing 22-20, Ojo recorded a kill and Harden followed with two more consecutive kills to give her team the lead, 23-22. Down 24-23, the senior smacked another kill to keep the set…