Santa Cruz, CA - The #7 Vassar College Men's Volleyball team opened the 2026 season at the Slug Slam on Friday evening as the Brewers fell to #13 UC Santa Cruz 25-22, 24-26, 12-25, 19-25 at West Field House. Vassar drops to 0-1 to begin the season while the Banana Slugs improve to 3-0 overall.

First Set

• The Banana Slugs took an early 6-2 lead following four kills from Riley Norman and a winner each from Noy Fisher and AJ Contreras.
• VC battled back to get within 9-8 behind a kill and an ace from junior Walter Birnbaum and a kill from senior Doug Chandler.
• Sophomore Henry Bonney's ace helped put Vassar ahead 12-11 before UC Santa Cruz used two aces and a kill from Fisher to regain a 15-13 advantage.
• The Brewers clawed back to regain the lead at 20-17 behind a kill each from Bonney and junior Tucker Shearn.
• UC Santa Cruz cut the lead to 22-20 on a Fisher kill but the Brewers took the first set following a kill apiece from Birnbaum and junior Armaan Desai.

Second Set

• The two squads traded points to open the second set as Vassar gained a 9-7 lead after two kills from Desai.
• Three consecutive winners from Kyle Ownbey put the Banana Slugs ahead 14-13.
• VC responded to take a 21-17 lead on two kills from Chandler along with an ace from Birnbaum.
• Kills from Bonney and Shearn helped extend the Vassar lead to 23-20 before UC Santa Cruz evened the set at 23 on a Nick Nayak winner.
• Birnbaum's kill put the Brewers at set point but back-to-back Norman aces pushed the Banana Slugs to the second set victory.

Third Set

• UC Santa Cruz pulled ahead 7-3 to start the third stanza on two kills and an ace from Fisher along with a block from Evan Erickson.
• Two kills from Bonney cut the lead to 12-9 until Santa Cruz went on a 9-1 run, led by three Ownbey kills, to score a 21-10 lead.
• The Banana Slugs scored the final three points of the set on kills from Ownbey, Nayak and Erickson to win the third set.

Fourth Set

• Vassar held a 5-4 lead in the early stages of the fourth set following blocks from Desai and sophomore Petar Miocinovic.
• UC Santa Cruz answered to take a 11-5 lead on four kills from Norman and an ace from Fisher.
• Two kills each from Desai and Bonney brought the Brewers within 19-12 until an Ownbey kill and a block from Contreras and Ownbey pushed the Banana Slugs ahead 23-13.
• Vassar had a late surge to get within 24-19 on blocks from Bonney, first year Kaden Chen and sophomore Stuart Dow but a VC attack error clinched the four set win for UC Santa Cruz.

For The Brewers

• Bonney tallied a team-high 12 kills (.333), two aces and five digs while Birnbaum recorded eight kills, three aces and six digs.
• Desai finished with eight kills and two blocks along with Chandler registering five winners.
• Junior Parker Schoenl handed out a team-high 24 assists and lifted seven digs.
• Senior Casey McMenamin lifted a team-high nine digs.

For The Banana Slugs

• Norman posted a match-high 15 kills, two aces and eight digs along with Ownbey tallying nine kills and three blocks.
• Contreras added seven winners and seven digs while Fisher recorded six kills, six aces and eight digs.
• Logan Taylor registered a team-high 25 assists and seven digs along with Caio Valente adding 12 assists and six digs.

Up Next

• Vassar returns for the second day of the Slug Slam with matches against #9 Cal Lutheran and Concordia (Wis.) tomorrow at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
• UC Santa Cruz closese the Slug Slam against #8 NYU on Sunday.