Contact: Emily Zadny, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

Box Score
                                                                                   
RIVER FOREST, Ill. (Jan. 28, 2018) – Facing its second top-10 opponent in 24 hours, the North Central College men's volleyball team fell at the hands of third-ranked University of California, Santa Cruz on Sunday afternoon at Dominican University, suffering its third loss of the season, 0-3, despite a hard-fought battle.

The Banana Slugs' national ranking did not appear to bother the Cardinals in the first set, tying the set 1-1 after a kill from Brendan Crawford off the hands of Michael Trunzo. North Central would then take the lead for the majority of the set, capitalizing on ten errors from Santa Cruz and kills from Crawford, Bozhidar Kolev, and Anthony Kluzak. North Central would fall behind 14-15 following a kill from Santa Cruz's Ryan Manley, but fought to tie the game with a kill from Nick Lilley. An attacking error by Kluzak would give the Banana Slugs a one-point lead, but a kill from Kolev off of an assist from Trunzo would keep North Central in the match and the set tied 16-16. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Santa Cruz would go on a five-point run, and despite efforts from Kevin Messer, Jake Braceros and Crawford, North Central would drop the first set 25-20, though not without a fight.

The second set began in the Cardinals' favor as two Banana Slugs errors would give North Central an early 2-0 lead. Two errors from the Cardinals and a kill from Santa Cruz's Chris Sales would give Santa Cruz a 3-2 lead before Kluzak would tie it back up 3-3 with a kill. The set continued to be a back and forth battle between the two teams until the Banana Slugs began to find a rhythm that the Cardinals could not contend with. Despite a service error that tied the game 7-7, the Banana Slugs would go on a three point run before getting stopped by a kill from Kluzak and an attacking error from their own Justin Fortner. Leading 10-9, Santa Cruz went on a five point run to make the score and warded off any attempt of a comeback for the Cardinals, taking the second set 25-17.

In the third set, the Cardinals came onto the court with fire, keeping the score close in the opening points thanks to kills from Zemba, Justin Curtis, and Braceros. Finding themselves with a 5-3 lead, the Cardinals found momentum after an attacking error by the Banana Slugs and a service ace from Curtis to extend the lead 7-3. Santa Cruz came back with two kills to bring the score within two before a service error from Evan Kittle stopped any additional scoring. The two teams exchanged attacking errors to keep the score close and eventually tie it at 11-11. Still looking to remain in the game, the Cardinals fought to keep the score close but began to lose control after two attacking errors from Kolev and Curtis found them down 16-21 and forced a timeout. But the Banana Slugs showed why they are the third-ranked team in the country, holding off North Central despite a final effort by Lilley to take the third set 25-17 and hand North Central its third loss of the season.

Braceros and Zemba led the team with five kills apiece while Trunzo tallied 21 assists. Lilley and Curtis each contributed a service ace while Kolev, Crawford, Braceros, and Zemba led the defensive efforts with two block assists each.

North Central (2-3) travels to Thousand Oaks, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 2 to face California Lutheran University at 7:30 p.m (PT). A link to live in-game coverage can be found HERE.