MERCED - Hosts UC Merced outlasted UC Santa Cruz 3-1 (23-25, 23-25, 25-21, 23-25) in a hard-hitting match. 
UC Santa Cruz (0-5) hit .261 but the Bobcats hit .361 in the match to win their season opener.
Both teams hit over .500 in the first set. However, the Bobcats won the last three points courtesy of two kills and an ace from Chris Morikawa to take a 1-0 lead.
Set Two was also back and forth. With Merced up 24-20, UC Santa Cruz fought off three set points before the Bobcats capitalized to finish the set and go up 2-0.
Set Three saw the Banana Slug race out to 4-0 and 15-11 lead before the hosts came back to tie at 17-all. The Banana Slugs closed with an 8-4 run to extend the match. UC Santa Cruz was up 22-21 in the fourth set, but the Bobcats closed on a 4-1 run to take the match.
Colton Jeffrey led three Banana Slugs in double figure kills with 13 to go with a team-high 13 digs. Aaron Fox added 12 plus two of UCSC's six aces. Chicory Roth had 11.
Morikawa had a match-high 17 kills to lead UC Merced.
The Banana Slugs conclude their road trip on Saturday evening at Division I Stanford.