RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The women's volleyball squad took on UC Merced for the fourth time this season in the biggest game of the year, the California Pacific Conference Championship game. 

The Bobcats jumped out to the early 3-0 lead before a kill by Tiara Manns got Simpson on the board. 

The Red Hawks reeled off six straight points to take its first lead of the game, 10-9. 

Mallory Senson posted two kills while Mariah Napoleon and Abigail Shackelford notched a kill. 

Back-to-back kills by Swenson and Katie Graham tied the game at 13. 

But UC Merced went on the 9-2 run to take the commanding 22-15 lead. 

Simpson looked to rally late as they scored three straight points on Bobcat hitting errors. 

However, UC Merced took the first set 25-20 to take the match lead. 

The Red Hawks jumped out to the early 13-3 lead as Graham, Manns, and Shackelford each posted three kills each. 

Simpson held the commanding 24-17 lead before the Bobcats came roaring back to tie the game at 24. 

The second set thriller saw an amazing rollercoaster of events as it went well beyond the standard 25-point mark. 

Simpson closed out the second set thriller on a pair of UC Merced errors to take the 34-32 victory to tie the game.

UC Merced grabbed the commanding 20-12 lead before the Red Hawks came storming back by outscoring the Bobcats 9-3 to pull within two late in the third set. 

Swenson anchored the comeback as she picked up three kills while Graham and Shackelford each picked up a kill. 

However, the Bobcats held off the Red Hawks to take the third set 25-22 to take the 2-1 match lead. 

The Bobcats held the momentum as they jumped out to the early 4-0 lead as they held the 20-12 lead. 

Simpson looked to mount a rally to keep its season alive as they went on a 7-3 run to force a Bobcat timeout as they pulled within four points. 

Napoleon, Swenson and Graham each notched two kills each. 

But the Bobcats came out of the timeout with back-to-back kills to take the game as they claimed the 2024 California Pacific Conference title. 

With the loss, Simpson's historic season comes to a close as they made its first conference appearance in over a decade, appeared in the championship game, earned the #2 seed, and held a 17-14 record while posting a 10-5 record in conference play. 

Mallory Swenson had a terrific final game of her career as she posted a team-high 15 kills to go along with a stellar .361 hitting percentage. 

Katie Graham had a tremendous final game as well as she notched 14 kills to go along with a team-high four blocks. 

Setters, Abigail Shackelford and Mackenzie Tataryn played a key role for the Simpson attackers as they combined for 39 assists and 17 digs. 

Madison Kammuller had a solid game to cap off her Red Hawks career as she picked up a team-high 16 digs. 

The Red Hawks says goodbye to seniors Sierra Murphy, Lynette McKenzie, Katie Graham, Mallory Swenson, Madison Kammuller, and Dani Rydjord. 

Simpson looks to head into the offseason to build off of its historic 2024 campaign as they look to add to its dynamic returning class.