ATHERTON, Ca. - The UC Santa Cruz men's volleyball team battled hard but fell 3-1 (25-14, 25-17, 24-26, 25-20) to Menlo College. Despite some strong performances, the Banana Slugs displayed moments of brilliance but couldn't sustain their momentum throughout the match.
 
How It Happened
The first set was challenging for UCSC, as the team struggled to find their rhythm. While the team managed 10 kills, eight attack errors hindered their efforts, allowing Menlo to take the set 25-14. The Banana Slugs remained determined, showing grit in longer rallies.
 
UCSC sharpened its play in the second set, reducing errors and finding more consistency in the attack. Led by contributions from Kyle Ownbey and David Polster, the Slugs stayed within striking distance. Despite their efforts, Menlo edged ahead to claim the set 25-17.
 
The third set was a turning point for UCSC, as the team regrouped and came out firing. With sharper passing and more aggressive swings, the Banana Slugs took control, highlighted by Ownbey's .563 hitting percentage and timely kills from Polster and Norman. UCSC held off Menlo's late push to take the set 26-24, keeping the match alive.
 
In the fourth set, UCSC started strong with key plays from their front line, but Menlo capitalized on a few critical errors late. Despite the Slugs' best efforts, Menlo closed the set 25-20, securing the match.
 
Key Performers

• Kills: Kyle Ownbey (11), David Polster (10), Riley Norman (8)
• Blocks: Ethan Makishima (3), David Polster (1), Riley Norman (1)
• Digs: Riley Norman (9), David Polster (6), Nico Espinoza (6)
• Service Aces: Ethan Makishima (1), Riley Norman (1), Kyle Ownbey (1)

Team Stats

• Total Kills: UCSC (46), Menlo (52)
• Service Aces: UCSC (3), Menlo (6)
• Blocks: UCSC (3), Menlo (5) 

Despite the loss, UCSC showed resilience and strong effort. The Banana Slugs will aim to regroup and bounce back in their next matchup against Wisconsin Lutheran College on Friday, January 10th.