University of California, Merced – Choi Hits Career Milestone in Setback at BenU Mesa

MESA, Ariz. – The University of California, Merced women’s volleyball team lost in straight sets to league-leading Benedictine University Mesa on Friday night at Bell Bank Park, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-16).

The Bobcats (10-14, 7-10) saw junior setter Serena Choi hit a career milestone in the setback as she became the fifth player in program history to record 1,000 career assists. Choi finished with 12 assists against BenU Mesa to go along with eight digs, three kills and a block. 

Bianca Malaluan was good for 15 assists and eight digs against the Redhawks, while Olanasaze Ojo was one of the night’s top offensive forces and shared match-high with eleven kills. Ojo has now recorded double figure kills in three set matches twice this season. Overall, Ojo has nine 10+ kill performances on the year.

Valentina Evans added six kills on nine swings. Evans also had three blocks for her fifth straight multi-block match. 

Destiny Lei Ramilo and Haley Branley led the Bobcats back row with 12 digs each. Semiramis Tanasecu also added to the Bobcats defense with three blocks.

Other notables include five kills and two blocks from Hannah Dillingham, five digs from Alexa Ultreras and a block each from Tea Bishop and Kennedi Baker.

BenU Mesa was led by Kylie Bartel’s 13 assists, eleven kills and two blocks.

The Bobcats opened the night with back-to-back kills from Tanasecu and Dillingham, but BenU Mesa responded with a 5-0 run and the Bobcats were never able to get the lead back. The Bobcats managed to hang around for the entirety of the frame and were tied with the Redhawks at 15-15 and 16-16, and were within a point at 23-22, before ultimately falling 25-23.

The second set was similar to the first as the Bobcats stayed within striking distance but fell just short of getting over the hump when trailing by just one point at 18-17. The Bobcats then fell behind 21-17 after two straight BenU Mesa kills and a service ace that started a set-ending 7-3 run.

UC Merced fell behind by six points early on in the third set, cut the deficit in half, and then couldn’t close the gap any further and saw the deficit hit six points again at the 16-10 mark. The Bobcats deficit was at least four points the rest of the way and they were unable to force a fourth set, falling 25-16 in the third.

Up next, the Bobcats will go for the season sweep over Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University when they take on the Eagles inside Eagle Gym in Prescott, Ariz.,…