SANTA CRUZ, CA -- UC Santa Cruz opened their 2015 home schedule Friday night as they hosted University of California-Merced at West Field House. The Banana Slugs used the raucous crowd to their advantage as they swept the Golden Bobcats 3-0. 

The Banana Slugs lost their last match 3-1 to Stanford University in Palo Alto last Friday. Tonight was the first match of the season for the Golden Bobcats. 

In the first set, the Banana Slugs jumped out to a quick lead and did not look back as the Banana Slugs won the first set 25-15. In the second set, the Banana Slugs and the Golden Bobcats played a close set but in the end the Banana Slugs won 25-19. In the third set, with momentum clearly swinging their way, the Banana Slugs routed the Golden Bobcats 25-13 to win the third set and the match 3-0. 

For UC Santa Cruz, Jake Landel had a match high twelve kills and for UC Merced Cole Smith had six kills. Evan Kittle had a match high seventeen assists for UC Santa Cruz and Scott Livesay had thirteen for UC Merced. Hurwitz led the Banana Slugs with a match high six digs and Matthew Lostetter had five digs for the Golden Bobcats. 

For the match, UC Santa Cruz had a .459 hitting percentage with the best percentage coming in the first set at .577 while UC Merced had a .128 hitting percentage with the third set having the best percentage at .267. UC Santa Cruz had seven service aces to UC Merced's one. 

The Banana Slugs will have their next match next Friday as they take on Holy Names University at West Field House. The first serve is set for 7 pm.