University of California, Merced – Bobcats Swept by Southern Oregon and Bushnell on Friday

ROCKLIN, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women’s volleyball team fell victim to two sweeps on the final day of the William Jessup Invitational, falling in three sets to Southern Oregon University (25-15, 25-18, 25-21) and Bushnell University (25-22, 25-22, 25-19) on Friday.

Seniors Valentina Evans and Annamarie Caldero led the Bobcats efforts throughout the day. Evans totaled eleven kills while hitting over .415 in each match to go along with five total blocks. Evans, who had three blocks in Friday’s opener vs. SOU, has at least one block in all five matches this year and has a block in eleven straight matches dating back to last season. Caldero was good for 19 digs and two services on the day. Her ten digs vs. SOU was one dig short of her career-high.

Hannah Dillingham was the Bobcats kills leader with 12 overall, including eight against SOU. Olanasaze Ojo combined for ten kills and four blocks, one solo.

Other individual notables on the day include 21 assists from Bianca Malaluan, seven digs from Destiny Lei Ramilo, three blocks each from Teola Nowak and Semiramis Tanasecu, and two aces from Tea Bishop. Alyssa Dudley had five digs and a service ace in the first match of the day.

Match One (Southern Oregon)

The Bobcats won three of the first four rallies to start the day, but couldn’t withstand a pair of lengthy Raider runs in the opening set and fell behind by as many as eleven points at 23-12.

UC Merced hung around a little longer in the second set and they were tied with the Raiders at 11 before the set got away from them. The Bobcats trailed by seven at the 19-12 mark and would go on to fall by that same margin, 25-18.

Head coach Ai Prachumsri‘s team showed resiliency in the third set as they fought back from a 21-15 deficit to pull within two points at 22-20. However, Southern Oregon still managed to finish the Bobcats off in three sets and got a kill out of Carol Melo for match point.

Match Two (Bushnell)

The Bobcats made the opening set interesting after falling behind 9-3. Back-to-back kills from Ojo and Evans garnered some momentum and the Bobcats managed to tie the set at 15 after Evans combined with Nowak for a block. While the Bobcats were unable to jump in front, they stayed close and were within a point at 21-20. The Bobcats staved off one set point, but were unable to extend the set after that and fell 25-22.

The Bobcats led 7-6 in the second set and upped the lead to four…