ATHERTON, Calif. – In their penultimate home match of the year, Menlo Women's Volleyball tied their season's highest hitting percentage (.282) en route to collecting their third consecutive victory, bettering Cal State San Marcos 3-1 (25-16, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19), during Friday night's rematch inside Haynes-Prim Pavilion.
Oaks Highlights
-Leading four Oaks with double-digit kills,
Michelle Mlikan sent down 20 while adding seven digs and four service aces
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Fuka Kikuchi posted a 12-kill, 12-dig double-double (the 15th of her career!) while
Dayjah McFadden added 12 kills and
Kate Ross put away 10
-Each with 20+ assists once again,
Ruby Santos (24) and
Makenna Mello both double-doubled with 11 digs apiece
-Leading all competitors,
Sophia Kelso posted a season-high six blocks
-In double figures for the fifth time this season,
Faith Oller's 16 digs paced the team
Menlo Hits .225 Or Higher In Every Set
From an initial 8-5 deficit, Menlo quickly shifted the momentum, scoring six straight points highlighted by two service aces from junior outside hitter
Michelle Mlikan. Soon two separate 4-0 runs loaded with kills by sophomore outside hitter
Dayjah McFadden and Mlikan put the Oaks ahead by 10 and senior outside hitter
Fuka Kikuchi finished off the 25-16 win with her third kill of a frame that saw Menlo hit .457 on 17 kills to one error.
In the second set, a 4-4 tie changed in Menlo's favor after seven unanswered points with Kikuchi putting away three kills and sophomore middle blocker/opposite
Sophia Kelso adding both a kill and block alongside sophomore outside hitter/opposite
Kate Ross. Though the Cougars rallied back to cut the margin to one, the Oaks never relinquished the advantage and used kills by junior middle blocker
Avery Krebill plus Ross to close out five straight scores for the 25-17 final.
Despite a 10-0 push by Cal State San Marcos early in the third frame, the Oaks were only down by one at 12-11 moments later after service aces by freshman setter
Makenna Mello and Mlikan marked a 9-2 response. Kikuchi joined the ace party, breaking a 15-15 tie and, though four consecutive points later had Menlo in front 23-22, CSUSM forced a fourth set by taking the last three scores in a 25-23 result.
Back-to-back Ross kills elevated the Oaks 6-3 early on in the fourth set and that margin held thanks to a diversified offense featuring Mlikan, Kikuchi, and McFadden. Continuing to have an answer each time the Cougars attempted to come back, Menlo fittingly finished off the 25-19 set victory on a pair of Mlikan kills as she hit the 20-kill mark for a second time this season.
Up Next
In their penultimate home match of the year, Menlo Women's Volleyball tied their season's highest hitting percentage (.282) en route to collecting their third consecutive victory, bettering Cal State San Marcos 3-1 (25-16, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19), during Friday night's rematch inside Haynes-Prim Pavilion.
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