THOUSAND OAKS (1-13) -- Fourteenth-ranked UC Santa Cruz men's volleyball split their final day at the Cal Lutheran Invitational. After falling to sixth-ranked Vassar 3-0 in the early match (18-25, 19-25, 24-26), the Banana Slugs bounced back to sweep Adrian 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-14) to improve to 1-2.

Match 1
The Banana Slugs were unable to capitalize in the first set until Ethan Makishima made a bullet of a kill right down the middle of the Brewers scattered defense (1-2). However, the Vassar attack continued with stamina and the Banana Slugs were unable to recover the points in time dropping the first set 18-25. The second set saw the Banana Slugs staying within 2 points of Vassar for most of the set. Their determination was shown with two consecutive kills by Kyle Ownbey and Riley Norman. Norman performed a fakeout which left the Vassar defense frozen as the ball unexpectedly floated behind them. Unfortunately, the Banana Slugs could not keep the momentum and Vassar won the set 19-25.

Makishima started the third set off strong with a kill. Vassar wanted to run away with the lead but the Banana Slugs did not hold back as they came back from 2 points down spurred by a kill by Leo Tuncer. Vassar was able to steal one more point but the Banana Slugs one-upped them with another 2 points, including another kill by Tuncer and a block by Nico Espinoza that made the score 7-6. The third set stayed very close with a total of 14 ties. However, just as it seemed the Banana Slugs were about to take the set the Brewers were able to make a latch ditch effort which one them the set 24-26.

Norman and Tuncer shared a team-high of 8 kills with Norman stacking on 2 assists as well. Dylan Foreman added 6 kills. Taylor had an impressive 22 assists, with Andrew Pak having five in his college debut. Tuncer had UC Santa Cruz's only ace.

Match 2
The Banana Slugs bounced back in the later game where they swept the Bulldogs for the first win of the season. Norman started things off hot with a pair of aces. The Bulldogs rallied to tie. With the score 7-all, a Bulldog service error and a kill by Noy Fisher began a 6-1 run that gave the Banana Slugs the lead for good at 13-8. The Bulldogs had the hot start in the second set with an early 3-0 lead, but the Banana Slugs tied it at 7-all thanks to a block from Fisher and Makishima. It stayed close again until the Banana Slugs finished on a 5-1 run and took the set on Pak's ace.

The third set was close again with six ties to begin before the Banana Slugs took control with a 6-1 run, including three aces by Fisher to take the lead for good at 12-7.  The lead grew to as much as 11 when a kill by Norman made it 21-10 and UC Santa Cruz cruised the rest of the way to take the win.

Norman led UC Santa Cruz with ten kills and a career-high five aces. Tuncer had five kills and three aces. Fisher had four kills and four aces. Pak led the offense with 13 assists. The Banana Slugs hit .283 overall in the match and finished with a 15-0 advantage in aces. It was the most service aces for a three-set match ever and the second-most in one match in program history.

The Banana Slugs are home next weekend when they host the 2024 Slug Slam tournament Friday-Sunday at the West Field House.