Box Score MERCED, Calif.-For the third time in five days, the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (9-6 overall) went to five sets, falling to the UC Merced Bobcats (10-6 overall) Tuesday evening at the Joseph Edward Gallo Recreation & Wellness Center.

While FPU had not played a five-set match through their first twelve matches, it has now played three in a row. The Sunbirds took the first two sets Tuesday night before the grind of three straight matches appeared in their offensive numbers.

Chloe Melis, the reigning PacWest defensive player of the week, set FPU on the right foot at the start, delivering a series of blocks and adding a kill as the Sunbirds took the first stanza 25-19 behind the middle blocker's effort.

Melis was credited with 4 kills and 4 blocks in the first set.

The Sunbirds offense cleaned up on the attack in the second set, hitting .320 on 25 attempts. The defense continued its consistent effort, forcing seven more errors from UC Merced as they rolled to a 25-15 win in the set.

The Bobcats grabbed early momentum in the third set, however, as UC Merced had its best offensive set of the night hitting .290 on 31 attacks. UC Merced led by five early and converted that advantage to a 25-18 set win over FPU to pull within a set.

The Sunbirds trailed at the start of set four before a 9-2 run propelled FPU to a 17-15 lead.

UC Merced regained the lead and held off FPU 25-23 to force a fifth set.

Fresno Pacific earned the early lead and led 8-5 as the teams switched sides but a momentum swing hit as UC Merced reached over the net on an attempted FPU set. However, the point was awarded to the Bobcats, tying the set 8.

The Bobcats seized the momentum and built a 12-10 lead before scoring three of the next four points to take the match in five sets.

Fresno Pacific had just 14 kills in the final two sets and finished the match hitting with a .159 attack percentage.

FPU will have a couple of days to reset before they swing down to Southern California for matches against Azusa Pacific and Biola on Friday and Saturday.