ALLIANCE, OH. – The UC Santa Cruz men's volleyball team earned an impressive 3-1 victory over Mount Union in their first match of the weekend. The win brings the Banana Slugs to 6-3 on the season, as they showcased a well-rounded attack and solid defense throughout the match.
 
How It Happened
The Banana Slugs came out strong in the first set, dominating with a .370 hitting percentage and delivering 14 kills. UCSC maintained control to secure the set 25-20.
Mount Union responded in the second set, finding their rhythm with a .452 hitting percentage and capitalizing on UCSC's miscues to take the set 25-18. The Purple Raiders fought strong, tying the match at one set apiece.

In the third set, UCSC rebounded with a determined performance, tallying 22 kills despite 10 attack errors. The Slugs edged out Mount Union in a nail-biting finish, winning 26-24. The fourth set saw UCSC maintain their momentum, delivering 15 kills and hitting .314 to close the match 25-18.
 
Key Performers
Kills: Riley Norman (16), AJ Contreras (17), Noy Fisher (9), Dylan Foreman (11)
Hitting Percentage: Riley Norman (.414), AJ Contreras (.297), Dylan Foreman (.318)
Assists: Caio Valente (24), Andrew Pak (14)
Blocks: Ethan Makishima (3), Logan Taylor (1)
Digs: Nico Espinoza (9), Andrew Pak (5), Logan Taylor (3)
Team Stats
Hitting Percentage: UCSC (.315), Mount Union (.261)
Kills: UCSC (63), Mount Union (44)
Service Aces: UCSC (4), Mount Union (1)
Blocks: UCSC (6), Mount Union (2)
 
The Banana Slugs demonstrated their depth and resilience, outlasting a strong Mount Union team. UCSC looks forward to their next challenge in the Baldwin Wallace Invitational on Saturday, January 25th, against Baldwin Wallace.