New York, NY -   The UC Santa Cruz women's volleyball team battled hard but fell to MIT 3-1 (25-18, 25-16, 18-25, 25-18) at the John A. Paulson Center in New York. Despite the loss, the Banana Slugs showed resilience, highlighted by a strong third-set victory with standout performances from Kelly Ann Greene and Ashley Magley.
 
How It Happened
MIT took control early, winning the first two sets 25-19 and 25-17. In the first set, Ashley Magley led UCSC with four kills, while Gabia Paliulis added three. MIT maintained their momentum through the second set, despite solid efforts from the Slugs to keep the match competitive.
 
The third set saw a spark of energy from UCSC as they came out swinging. With an impressive 0.304 hitting percentage, the Slugs took the set 25-18, showing their potential. Kelly Ann Greene was the standout player in this set, contributing five kills, while the team racked up a total of 11 kills. UCSC's defense also stepped up, with Kate Lau leading the back row with 13 digs throughout the match.
 
Despite the momentum shift, MIT regained control in the fourth set and closed out the match 25-20. UCSC fought hard to stay in the game but was unable to maintain the same offensive flow that powered them in the third set.
 
Key Performers  
- Kills: Kelly Ann Greene (9), Ashley Magley (8), Heidi Collins (8)  
-Digs: Kate Lau (13), Anna Hospodar (11), Abigail Lee (8)  
- Assists: Margo Melgoza (19), Alessandra Ponzo (13)  
 
Although UCSC ultimately lost, their best performance came in the third set, where they pulled ahead with strong hitting and defensive plays. The team will look to build on these positive moments as they move forward in their season.
 
The Slugs are back in action in New York on Saturday, September 21st, with a doubleheader against No. 2 John Hopkins University and No. 11 NYU at 7 a.m. PT and 9:30 a.m. PT, respectively.