REDDING, Calif. - The men's volleyball team opened the second round of conference play tonight as they hosted UC Merced. 

The Bobcats grabbed the early 2-0 lead before an attacking error got Simpson on the board. 

Three unanswered points by kills by Akira Davies and Nathan Richards tied the game 6-6 in the first set. 

Simpson grabbed the 11-9 lead on three straight points on a kill by Jacbon Shelton, an ace by Nathan Richards, and a Bobcat hitting error. 

A back-and-forth first set saw the Red Hawks and Bobcats exchange rallies. But they held the 23-21 lead late in the first set before two straight UC Merced points tied the game 23-23. 

A huge kill by Shelton allowed Simpson to move into match-point territory. However, a 4-1 UC Merced run closed out the first set thriller that went beyond the standard 25-point mark. 



Simpson jumped out to the early 4-1 lead in set two on Merced miscues and a kill by Flavio Mercado. 

The Red Hawks held total control in set two as they never relinquished the lead. 

Kills by Richards, Mercado, Davies, Keeyon Williams, Jean-Paul James, and David Raffaelli allowed the Red Hawks to expand its largest lead of the night to eight points. 

Richards slammed down the difference maker to end the 25-17 second set victory to tie the match score 1-1. 

Merced answered back in set three as they scored the first three points before a kill by Davies got Simpson on the board. 

But a 5-0 Bobcats run helped create breathing room with an 11-3 lead. 

The Red Hawks looked to put together a late rally before the Bobcats ended the third set with a kill to seal the 25-18 set three victory to take the 2-1 match lead. 

A kill by Shelton put Simpson on the board in set four and helped them grab the early 5-3 lead. 

The Red Hawks stayed within striking distance throughout the set but the Bobcats looked to put away the match as they held a commanding 24-21 lead.

However, four straight Bobcat hitting errors allowed the Red Hawks to retake the 25-24 lead. 

Simpson completed the late set comeback as they defeated Merced 29-27 on a block by Mercado and Shelton to force the deciding fifth set. 

The Bobcats held total control in the fifth set as they grabbed the 8-2 lead. 

A late Red Hawks run could not overcome the deficit as they fell 15-9 in five sets. 

Nathan Richards had a team-high 16 kills to go along with three total blocks. 

Jacob Shelton played a solid game in the net as he picked up five kills to go along with five total blocks. 

David Raffaelli had quite the game as he registered 46 assists to go along with two blocks. 

Simpson looks to end its skid as they hit the road to take on Pacific Union tomorrow at 4 PM.