University of California, Merced – Bobcats Drop Four-Set Affair at Embry-Riddle

PRESCOTT, Ariz. – The University of California, Merced women’s volleyball team took a frame from 25th-ranked Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University but ultimately fell in four sets, 1-3 (14-25, 16-25, 28-26, 19-25) on Saturday night wrapping up a three-game road trip.

The Bobcats (7-14, 7-5) set win was their first against Embry-Riddle inside Eagle Gym since October 24, 2015. Embry-Riddle improved to 11-1 in conference play this season and 72-3 in their last 75 Cal Pac games dating back to 2015.

Lexus Lagumbay and Olanasaze Ojo highlighted the Bobcats efforts in the upset attempt. Lagumbay led the Bobcats with 14 kills to go along with five digs and a block. Lagumbay’s effort allows her to become just the sixth player in program history to join the 150 kill/150 dig club. The Foster City, Calif., native has 209 digs and 153 kills in 2021.

Lagumbay also passed Victoria Rouse on Saturday for ninth in program history with 345 career kills.

Ojo was good for nine kills and led the Bobcats with three blocks, one solo. The sophomore has multiple blocks in three straight matches, one short of her season-long streak.

Destiny Lei Ramilo and Edwena Wong shared match-high with eleven digs and the duo has now notched double figure digs in the same match four times this season. 

Other defensive notables include a career-high three blocks from Yatzary Lua and two blocks from Brittany Johnson. Johnson also tied her career-high with five kills.

Serena Choi and Bianca Malaluan shared setting duties and finished with 20 and ten assists, respectively.

Olivia Harden added eleven kills in the Bobcats third match in less than 72 hours.

Meanwhile, Embry-Riddle had just one match in the week entering the date with the Bobcats and got off to a great start, scoring the first four points of the opening set and 12 of the first 16. The Bobcats managed to cut the eight point deficit in half at 16-12, but only scored two points the rest of the way and dropped the frame 25-14.

The Bobcats also failed to grab a lead in the second set and found themselves down by double figures as early as the 13-3 mark. Trailing 16-6 soon after, Lagumbay and Harden smacked back-to-back kills to give the Bobcats some life. After a few sideouts, Harden tallied two more kills to bring the Bobcats within five points at 18-13. That would be the tightest the set would get as the Bobcats dropped five of the next six rallies to eventually fall 25-16 and trail 2-0 in the match.

Head…