SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (5-8, 1-3 CCAA) rebounded from an opening-set loss to defeat UC Merced (4-8, 1-2 CCAA) in four sets (14-25, 25-23, 25-11, 25-22) Saturday afternoon at The Sports Center. The victory came in the teams' third meeting of the season and was CSUSM's first against UCM in 2026.
CSUSM 3 – UCM 1 (14-25, 25-23, 25-11, 25-22)
TOP PERFORMERS
Addison Kranz – 14 kills | 4 digs
Hazel Livingston-Jones – 11 kills | .579 hitting percentage | 2 blocks | 2 digs
Ebony Lewis – 10 kills | 10 digs | 1 block
Blayne Seligmiller – 9 kills | .389 hitting percentage | 2 digs
Blair Keith – 44 assists | 6 digs | 2 aces | 1 block
Annika Blas-Cedeno – 14 digs | 4 assists
McKenna Kehoe – 14 digs | 2 aces
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Bobcats scored the first four points of the match and extended their advantage to 16-7. CSUSM pulled within seven at 18-11, but UCM maintained control and took the opening set 25-14.
- CSUSM answered by racing out to a 6-1 lead in the second set behind Kehoe's serve. The Bobcats responded with an 8-3 run to tie the score at 9-all before the Cougars regained the lead.
- CSUSM built advantages of 20-16 and 23-19 before UCM scored three consecutive points to pull within one. Kranz delivered kills on two of the final three rallies to secure the 25-23 victory.
- The Cougars scored the first three points of the third set and used a 6-0 run behind Apelado's serve to extend a 10-4 lead to 16-4. CSUSM hit .406 while holding the Bobcats to a .125 percentage in the 25-11 win.
- CSUSM took an early 5-2 lead in the fourth set and later went ahead 19-15. UCM scored four consecutive points to tie the frame, but the Cougars answered with a 3-0 run capped by a Kranz kill.
- The Bobcats pulled within two at 24-22 before CSUSM clinched the match on a UCM attack error.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM led in kills (52-39), assists (49-35) and digs (59-51).
- UCM held advantages in service aces (10-5) and blocks (4-3).
- The Cougars hit .267 for the match while holding the Bobcats to a .183 percentage.
- CSUSM hit .367 in the second set and .406 in the third.
- The Cougars limited UCM to a .125 hitting percentage in the third set and a .054 clip in the fourth.
- Livingston-Jones committed no attack errors on 19 swings while posting a match-best .579 hitting percentage.
- Kranz, Livingston-Jones and Lewis each reached double figures in kills.
- Lewis recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs.
- CSUSM went 1-2 against UCM this season and leads the all-time series 7-2.
UP NEXT
CSUSM will resume CCAA play against Cal State Dominguez Hills at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, at The Sports Center. The matchup will be the third contest of the Cougars' six-match homestand.
Â
