MERCED, Calif. - The women's volleyball squad continued conference play tonight as they took on first-place UC Merced. 

Prior to the game, the Red Hawks looked to move into a tie for first place as they trailed Merced by one game.

Katie Graham got Simpson on the board with two kills to open the first set. Followed by a block by Dani Rydjord and a kill by Tiara Manns to give Simpson the early 4-2 lead. 

The Bobcats took the lead before a kill by Manns held Simpson within three points, 14-11. 

However, the Bobcats went on to take the first set 25-16. 

UC Merced continued to roll as they jumped out to a 6-1 lead to open the second set. 

The Red Hawks pulled within five after a tandem block by Manns and Graham. 

But the Bobcats proved to be too much as they took the second set 25-11 for the commanding 2-0 match lead. 

With its backs against the wall, the Red Hawks reeled off three straight points to open the third set on an ace by Madison Kammuller and a couple of Bobcat errors. 

With the score tied at 12, Simpson went on a crucial 4-0 run that forced a Bobcat timeout. 

The run included a block by Abigail Shackelford and Katie Graham and kills by Mariah Napoleon and Graham. 

Simpson closed out the third set on a 5-1 run as Mallory Swenson slammed down the final kill for the set three 25-18 victory. 

Simpson drew first blood in set four on a Mariah Napoleon kill. The Red Hawks and Bobcats went back and forth in a highly contested fourth set. 

Four straight points by the Red Hawks evened the score at 16 as Manns notched three straight kills. 

A block by Graham and Napoleon late in the fourth set helped pull Simpson within three points, 23-20. 

But the Bobcats closed out set four as they scored two straight points to take the match in four sets. 

Tiara Manns had a team-high 15 kills to go along with two blocks and five digs. 

Mariah Napoleon followed close behind with 11 kills to go along with a solid .296 hitting percentage on the night. 

Madison Kammuller had a solid game on defense as she picked up 17 digs and one ace. 

Senior Sierra Murphy played an integral role for the Simpson attackers as she notched a team-high 14 assists to go along with five digs. 

Simpson looks to bounce back tomorrow at home as they take on Pacific Union College at 8 pm.