ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Purple Raiders (5-4) fell at home in four sets, 20-25, 25-18, 24-26, 18-25, to No. 13 UC Santa Cruz Friday evening.
 
The Purple Raiders (5-4) were led by Jack McClure (Massillon / Jackson) with a game leading 18 Kills and 38 attacks while Jacob Nussdorfer (Lewis Center / Olentangy) picked up eight kills on .500 hitting percentage. Will Heeney (Hudson / Walsh Jesuit) had 35 assisted while Peyton Koszelak (Eden, N.Y / Eden) finished with a team-leading 8 digs.
 
The Banana Slugs of UC Santa Clara (6-3) were led by AJ Contreras team-leading 17 kills, 37 attacks, and 7 digs. Caio Valente led the team in assists with 24.
 
The Purple Raiders dropped the first set 20-25 with UC Santa Cruz holding a slight edge in attacks 27-25. However, UC Santa Cruz higher efficiency on their attacks and the Purple Raiders mistake laden play would give UC Satna Cruz the early set win. 
 
In the second set, the Purple Raiders evened up the match, winning the set 25-18. The Raider won by capitalizing on their leading 31 attacks resulting in 16 kills for the home team. UC Santa Cruz would respond late in the set to steal some momentum from the Raiders, leading to a pivotal third set for both teams.
 
UC Santa Cruz would continue their momentum winning the highly contested third set 26-24. UC Santa Cruz lead in both attacks and kills in the set with 40 and 22 respectively. The Raiders kept the set close to the end, largely led by Jack McClure's game leading 15 kills at the time.
 
The Purple Raiders would fall in the fourth and final set 18-25. Both teams had a back-and-forth set with Santa Cruz having a marginal advantage in attacks 35-33. The Banana Slugs pulled away late in the set with their set-leading 15 kills.
 
The Raiders will be back in action again next Tuesday against Thiel College at 7pm in Alliance, Ohio.