Slugs Defeat Little Giants, Fall to Kean in Doubleheader

Wednesday, March 11

Santa Cruz, Ca.

11:00 AM

UC Santa Cruz Athletics

12-4,0-0DIII Independent

Kean University

14-7,1-0CVC

Kean

UC Santa Cruz

3/11/2026 11:01:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SANTA CRUZ, Ca. – The No. 9 UC Santa Cruz men's volleyball team started their day with a five set loss to Kean University, falling 3-2 (19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 27-25, 15-13). The Banana Slugs had four players in double digits on offense with Drake Harris leading the team with 20 kills while Kyle Owneby, Nick Nayak, and AJ Contreras recorded 14, 12, and 11, respectively. The Banana Slugs bounced back in their evening contest, earning a 3-1 (21-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-20) victory over the Wabash Little Giants. Nick Nayak led the team with 13 kills while Riley Norman and Drake Harris added 11 and 10 kills, respectively. The Banana Slugs will be back in action on March 23 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time in a rematch against Aurora University in Naperville, Illinois.

UC Santa Cruz 2, Kean 3

The opening set of action featured a tight back and forth battle with UCSC working to a narrow 11-9 lead before using a 6-3 run to extend the gap to 17-12.
UCSC outscored Kean 8-7 down the stretch to take set one 25-19.
The Banana Slugs coasted in set two, using a 9-3 run to take an early lead with kills from Drake Harris and AJ Contreras.
Kean closed the gap to 12-10 and later 14-12 but UCSC closed out the set with an 11-8 advantage with kills from Kyle Ownbey, Evan Erickson, AJ Contreras, and Noy Fisher to take set two 25-20.
The Slugs were in the driver seat early in set three with a 4-1 lead and later held a 9-5 edge. Kean rattled off a 12-2 run to take momentum and a 17-11 lead. UCSC countered, working to a tie at 23-23 but Kean earned back to back kills to take the set 25-23.
Set four featured a tight back and forth battle, resulting in another late tie at 23-23 with UCSC working to a 24-23 lead thanks to a kill from AJ Contreras.
A block from Kean tied the game at 24-24 but Contreras recorded another kill to put the Slugs ahead 25-24. Kean managed to score the next three points to take the set 27-25 and force a decisive fifth set.
Kean jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, but the Slugs countered with an 8-5 run with kills from Drake Harris, Nick Nayak, and Riley Norman, tying the game at 10-10.
The two teams worked to a 13-13 tie, but a kill and a service ace gave Kean the 15-13 victory, handing the 3-2 loss.

UC Santa Cruz 3, Wabash 1

· Wabash struck first and had the Banana Slugs at 1-2, Slugs quickly answered back with a 5 point run to get the lead at 6-2.

· As the set continued it was a back and forth battle, Wabash taking the lead back at 13-16. The Banana Slugs finished set one at a close 21-25.

· The Banana Slugs sailed into set two taking the lead 10-3 with kills from Riley Norman and Nick Nayak.

· Keeping the lead at 15-6 then sailing in the second set at 18-9 with kills from Drake Harris, Evan Erikson, and Nick Nayak. UCSC closed out the set 7-2 advantage with kills from Nick Nayak, Kyle Ownbey, and Drake Harris to take set two 25-11.

· The third set began with a back and forth battle at 7-7. The Slugs went for a six point run to maintain the lead 13-7, kills from Nick Nayak, Riley Norman, and Evan Erikson.

· Rolling with the momentum, kills from Drake Harris and Nick Nayak along with Riley Norman jumped UCSC to a 21-10 lead.

· Wabash cut the lead to 23-17 but Slugs took control again and closed the third set at 25-18.

· UCSC jumped to an early lead 5-1 in the fourth set. Outscoring Wabash, the Slugs kept a 10-5 lead. Fighting back, Wabash made it a close 12-9.

· Riley Norman recorded another kill and made it 17-13 to keep the Slugs in the lead. After an attack error on the Slugs, Wabash made it a closer 22-18.

· Griffin Hotchkiss secured the win with a kill for UCSC to finish the fourth set 25-20.