Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BUENA VISTA (3-26)
– UC Santa Cruz started a four-match road trip to Virginia as they took on Lancaster Bible College and NCAA Division III #8 Southern Virginia University. The Banana Slugs swept the Chargers 3-0 in the early match and in the evening match fell 3-2 in an instant classic to the Knights.
Match #1 – vs. Lancaster Bible
In the first set, the Banana Slugs would take the lead for good, at 9-8, on a
Colton Jeffrey kill. The Banana Slugs would gain their largest lead of the set at eight, at 21-13, on a kill by Jeffrey. The Chargers would go on a 7-2 run to trim the Banana Slugs' lead to 23-20. The Banana Slugs however took the last two pointswon the first set 25-20.
In the second set, the Banana Slugs would take the lead at 2-1 on a service ace by Jeffrey and would gain their largest lead of the set at 17-13. The Chargers however would tie the set at 17-17. The Banana Slugs would regain the lead for good, at 18-17, on a Jeffrey kill and won the second set 25-21.
In the third set, the Banana Slugs started the set on a 10-3 run capped by a
Cinjun Coe kill. From that point, the Chargers would go on a 11-5 run, capped by an Elijah Herb kill, to trim the Banana Slugs' lead to 15-14. The Banana Slugs won the third set 25-20.
Aaron Fox led the Banana Slugs with 13 kills. Jeffrey added 11 and Coe had 10. The Banana Slugs served a season-high 12 aces, with Makishima, Coe and
Tennessee Fulks having three each.
Match #2 vs. #8 Southern Virginia
In the first set, the Knights opened a 14-8 lead and would win the first set 25-11. In the second set, the Banana Slugs would answer with an 11-6 opening run before winning the second set at 25-19.
In the third set, the Knights started the set on a 4-0 spurt capped by a service ace. After the Knights led 16-12 on a Nahuel Recabarren kill, the Banana Slugs would then go on a 10-5 run capped by a Coe kill to take the lead at 22-21. The two teams would trade points, and the lead, over the next eleven serves before the Banana Slugs would score the final two points of the set on a pair of Fox kills to win the third set 29-27.
In the fourth set, the Knights would take the lead for good at 14-13 on a Kyler Evans kill and won the fourth set 25-17. In the fifth set, the two teams would trade points, and the lead, over the first twenty-four serves. The Knights scored two points to gain the first match point. The Banana Slugs would respond with two points of their own – one on a service error by the Knights and one on a kill by Makishima – to tie the set at 24-24. The momentum swung back and forth for the next twenty-four serves as the Banana Slugs got kills from Coe, Fulks, Fox, Jeffrey and Makishima to set up match points. After the Knights took the lead, Fox tied the set at 25-25 with a kill, but the Knights would score the final two points of the marathon to win the fifth set 27-25.
Fox had 16 kills to lead the Banana Slugs and go over 600 career kills. Coe added 14 and Fulks had a career-high 43 assists.
The Banana Slugs will wrap up their trip to Virginia tomorrow at Randolph-Macon College, as they take on Misericordia University of Pennsylvania at noon PST and the host Yellow Jackets at 2 pm PST.
