Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CHICAGO (3-26)
– UC Santa Cruz finished up their six-match trip to the Midwest as they swept Millikin University and North Park University in Chicago.
Match #1 – vs. Millikin University
In the first set, the Banana Slugs started the set on a 15-6 run capped by a service ace by
Colby Hurdle and expanded their lead to double digits at 20-10 on a
Nico Espinosa kill before winning the first set 25-14.
In the second set, the teams would trade points and the lead for the first eight serves before a 4-1 Millikin run made it 8-5. From that point, the Banana Slugs would go on an 8-2 run, capped by an Espinosa kill, to take the lead at 13-10. The Big Blue would get back into the set and would tie it at 20-20 on a bad set by the Banana Slugs. After the Big Blue had set point at 24-22, the Banana Slugs scored the next three points to take the lead at 25-24 on an assisted block by
Trevor Jackson and
Xander Vriesman. The two teams would go back and forth over the next five serves before the Banana Slugs would score the final two points of the set to win the second set 29-27.
In the third set, the Banana Slugs never let the Big Blue in the match, opening a 22-7 lead before winning the third set 25-11.
Espinosa led the Banana Slugs with a career-high 11 kills. The Banana Slugs had seven blocks in holding the Big Blue to -.012 hitting.
Match #2 vs. North Park University
Against the host Vikings, the Banana Slugs easily won the first set 25-12. In the second set, the two teams traded points, and the lead, for the first thirty serves before the Banana Slugs would gain the lead for good at 16-15 on a service ace by
Tennessee Fulks. The Banana Slugs would eventually wn the second set 25-20.
In the third set, after it was tied at 6, the Banana Slugs took the lead for good on a 5-3 run, capped by a
Cinjun Coe kill. The Banana Slugs would win the third set 25-16 hitting a whopping .600 in the set with 13 kills on 20 attempts.
Coe had 17 kills to lead the Banana Slugs plus two blocks and an ace.
Aaron Fox had 11 kills and
Mohan Duvvuri had 39 assists as UC Santa Cruz hit a season-high .462 in the match.
The Banana Slugs will travel to Virginia next week for their next four matches, starting Friday as they take on Lancaster Bible College at 1:30 pm PST and NCAA Division III sixth-ranked Southern Virginia University at 4 pm PST.
