SAN MARCOS, Calif. – In a Friday night matchup of two California Collegiate Athletic Association teams sharing the same place in the conference standings, Menlo Women's Volleyball outplayed Cal State San Marcos in numerous statistical categories and claimed the opening set, but a steady Cougars comeback led them to the 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-14, 25-20) win on their home floor.
Oaks Highlights
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Fuka Kikuchi made it six straight double-digit kill efforts with 16 on the night
-Double-doubling for the fourth time in 2026,
Michelle Mlikan posted 15 kills and 16 digs
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Makenna Mello set up her teammates with 22 assists, marking her third time with 20+ in her last five matches
-Four block assists and one solo had
Avery Krebill finish with her second-highest block total of the season
-A match-high 17 digs for
Faith Oller gave her 56 digs in her last three contests
Menlo Out-Kills, Out-Assists, And Out-Digs Cougars Despite Loss
Separating from CSUSM at 5-5, the Oaks had back-to-back service aces from freshman libero
Evan Leclair spark five unanswered points then an ensuing 8-2 push was highlighted by three kills from junior outside hitter
Michelle Mlikan and a pair from senior outside hitter
Fuka Kikuchi. Down the stretch, Mlikan's seventh kill of the set went down as Menlo soon finished off a 25-20 victory.
In the second frame, after the Oaks built a 12-7 advantage with multiple kills from Kikuchi, junior middle blocker
Avery Krebill, and sophomore outside hitter/opposite
Kate Ross, the Cougars executed a 9-1 response that held up until four straight by Menlo cut the deficit to one at 23-22. However, the final two points by Cal State San Marcos finished the 25-22 set win to even the match.
An 8-1 start to the third set put CSUSM into position for the 25-14 despite five more kills for Kikuchi then, up 18-12 in the fourth, the Cougars were suddenly hit by a 5-1 Oaks surge in which freshman setter
Makenna Mello assisted kills by Mlikan and Kikuchi then combined with sophomore middle blocker/opposite
Sophia Kelso for a rejection to make it just 20-18 Cal State San Marcos. That was as close as Menlo would come, however, as five of the last seven points belonged to the Cougars en route to their 25-20 final.
Up Next
A pairing with No. 10 Cal State San Bernardino awaits the Oaks tomorrow inside the Coyotes' Coussoulis Arena at 5 p.m.
