FRESNO, CA – Closing out Fresno Pacific's Sunbird Classic on a victorious note Saturday, Menlo Women's Volleyball dominated Stanislaus State 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-19), bouncing back from a loss to UC Merced 3-1 (29-27, 25-15, 18-25, 25-19) inside the Special Events Center.

Oaks Highlights

• Fuka Kikuchi dropped 38 kills to just four errors while adding double-digit digs in the two matches
• Jolianna Salazar posted 19 assists against UCM, then tied Ruby Santos with 15 assists apiece versus STAN
• Double-digit Oaks logged at least one dig for the third consecutive match to start 2025 with Faith Oller collecting 36 on the day
   

Menlo Secures Season's First Set
Never separated by more than two points until one brief moment late in the set, Menlo and UC Merced were locked in a back-and-forth battle early on. Facing a 24-21 deficit, the Oaks scored when it counted most as freshman setter Jolianna Salazar delivered a service ace and junior outside hitter Fuka Kikuchi nailed two kills to cap a 5-1 response. The Bobcats, however, outlasted Menlo down the stretch to emerge 29-27 winners.

Though kills by senior outside hitter/opposite Giulia Marinelli, senior middle blocker/opposite Maya Saole-Su'e, and Kikuchi helped build an 8-5 Oaks lead to start the second frame, a 13-1 rebuttal from UC Merced pushed them to the 25-15 victory. Responding back in the third, Menlo used a 6-2 push with multiple kills and service aces to move in front 15-11 then putaways by four different Oaks maintained that margin, setting up a final 5-2 surge to triumph 25-18.

A 7-3 UC Merced lead opening the fourth set was erased by a 6-2 Menlo run and the Oaks continued to have answers for each of the Bobcats' moves until a 15-15 deadlock was broken by UCM's 5-0 burst that ended up the difference in the 25-19 victory for UC Merced.

Oaks Best Stan State In Every Stat Category
Coming out hot, Menlo had four different Oaks send down kills during an 8-3 opening surge. After Saole-Su'e, Kikuchi, and freshman outside hitter Dayjah McFadden all delivered kills to preserve the advantage, Menlo used a 10-3 push to nearly finish the set win as sophomore outside hitter/opposite Avery Krebill connected twice to cap the run. The Warriors would threaten down the stretch, but ultimately McFadden's kill ended the frame at 25-22.

Both sides held brief leads to begin the second set before the Oaks pulled in front with five of six points from a 13-13 tie as McFadden and Kikuchi registered putaways. Stan State steadily worked their way back to within one at 22-21, but senior middle blocker Janet Moala then took center stage, swinging for kills on each of the final three Menlo points en route to another 25-22 win.

The Oaks kept their momentum in the third frame, scoring five of their first 10 points on kills and soon nearly doubling up the Warriors at 20-11 after a Saole-Su'e solo block and a subsequent Kikuchi kill. Late in the frame, Salazar set Kikuchi for kills twice, delivered a service ace, then junior setter/defensive specialist Ruby Santos twice assisted Krebill for the last points of a 25-19 final.

Up Next
For their second and final non-conference tournament to start the year, the Oaks will face Cal State East Bay (Sept. 11), Western Oregon (Sept. 12), and Tampa (Sept. 13) all at Don Nasser Family Plaza for the SF State Gator Classic.