ATHERTON, Calif. -- In their first matchup since the 2023 GSAC Tournament Championship, Vanguard women's volleyball fell in four hard-fought sets (22-25, 25-20, 25-27, 24-26) to Menlo College. The Lions nearly forced a fifth set in their third back-to-back game of the season, but it was Menlo's late 3-0 run that cemented their victory. It was just Vanguard's sixth loss against MC all-time, (19-6) and first since 2022.
 
The Blue and Gold fall to 5-7 and 2-6 in the Pacific West Conference, while Menlo improves to 5-10 and 2-6 in the league.
 
Delaney Hill and Alister Borabo led VU with 11 kills each as Hill hit .194 and Borabo swung at a .280 rate. Junior Morgan Cole earned her third double-double of the season with 12 kills and 14 digs. Payton Darm had a season-high eight kills and paired that with a game-high three blocks and one service ace. Rachel Lim produced a team-high 20 assists for the Blue and Gold and Madeline DeLucia tallied three aces and 16 assists.
 
Menlo's Hannah Torres, who grabbed her season-high in kills last year against VU, was dominant on the day once more, as she fired a career-high 23 kills while hitting .392. The Lions kept their composure at the service line, committing six service errors to the Oaks' season-high 16. However, Menlo made up the difference with high-value strikes, outhitting VU .300 to .194.
 
What Happened? VU started the first set down 0-2 with an ace from Beatrice Manzon, but quickly showed there would be little to separate the sides on the afternoon. Cole climbed VU back into the opening period, as she closed out a long rally with a kill and then found an ace to tie the set 2-2. Borabo, who found four kills in the set, nailed her first after a firm strike trickled off the net and down in the corner for a 6-5 VU lead. The set remained close between both sides until Menlo's 5-2 run sparked a 16-13 deficit for Vanguard. The Oaks would keep the Lions around three points in the rear-view mirror for the remainder of the set, as Borabo's kill to make it 22-24 would be the final point VU claimed in the opening period.

Set 2: Both teams struggled to hit in the second set, but it was VU's zero service errors (compared to Menlo's five) that helped set the tone early on. Hill heated up, claiming seven kills in the set and spearheading a 5-1 Lion run to make it 9-5. The Oaks swung back with a 6-2 run to cut the Vanguard advantage to 11-10, as Manzon found her second ace of the contest. Menlo made efforts to spring more momentum, but errors kept them caged against an in-system VU. DeLucia delivered the final blow as she drilled an ace to hand the Lions the second set.
 
Set 3: MC hit .393 to VU's .120 in the third set, but the Lions still found themselves eye-to-eye with the Oaks in the set's totality.  Darm dished out two fast kills through the middle early on to tie the score at 4-4. Cole cannoned one off the blocks to cut the gap to 6-5 set, but an MC ace crept after a few more rallies put the hosts ahead 10-7. After a Lions timeout down 14-11, the Blue and Gold made a clinical 6-2 run with points from DeLucia, Darm, and Adeline Galvanoni to level the set at 16 a piece. It took three ties and two lead changes before Kayla Robinson rallied two straight kills to make it 21-19 VU. Unfortunately, Menlo's 8-4 run was enough to make up the ground and take the set.
 
Set 4: VU met Menlo hit-for-hit in the final set, as the Blue and Gold hit .314 and MC .394. The Lions started crisp, scoring four in a row before the Oaks could respond. Cole connected for four straight Lion kills to keep VU in front 8-4. Torres then took center stage, keeping MC dangerous and within striking distance as the Oaks closed the deficit to 9-8. The teams remained close through the middle stages until Borabo's cross-court kill made it 19-17.  However, a miscue by Vanguard gave Menlo the go-ahead kill to tie the set at 19-19. A dipping ace from DeLucia brought it to set point for VU a few rallies later at 24-23, but a Menlo side out steered the game back to level at 24-all. The score marked the 28th and final tie of the game, as the Oak's put down two straight aces that sealed the Lion's defeat in dramatic fashion.
 
What's Next? The Blue and Gold will conclude their four-game road trip at Fresno Pacific on October 14 at 3 pm.