BEREA, Ohio - The Baldwin Wallace University men's volleyball team defeated the No. 13 nationally ranked University of California-Santa Cruz in the second day of the 2025 Baldwin Wallace Invitational by a final score of 3-1 in Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou HIggins Center.

BW (4-1) upset No. 13 UC-Santa Cruz (6-4) by winning three straight sets after the Banana Slugs took the first marking the Brown and Gold's third ever program win over a ranked opponent and their second within the past week. The Yellow Jackets and UC-Santa Cruz traded punches throughout the course of the night with the largest deficit by either team being only six points. 

BW Leaders

• Sophomore All-MCVL outside hitter Owen Huynh (Loveland) led the team with a career-high 18 kills hitting .387 on 31 attempts and added six digs and four aces
• Senior Academic All-MCVL setter Carson Junker (Massillon/Jackson) finished with a statline of 42 assists, eight digs, two aces, two kills, and a block
• Senior All-MCVL outside hitter Ted Hofmeister (Powell/Saint Charles) registered 14 kills, six digs, five assists, and two blocks
• Sophomore outside hitter Daniel Latham (Westerville/Westerville Central) also had four aces and contributed 11 kills
• Sophomore libero Jack Sullenberger (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) tied a game-high nine digs
• Senior All-MCVL middle hitter Reed Fisher (Freedom, Pa./Ambridge Area) recorded six kills and a block assist
• Junior Academic All-MCVL middle hitter Colby Whiteside (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) had a team-high three blocks and added five kills

UCSC Leaders

• Junior outside hitter Riley Norman led the Banana Slugs in kills with 13
• Sophomore setter Andrew Pak assisted 18 times
• Senior libero Nico Espinoza led the team with nine digs

First Set (UCSC 25-19)

• UC-Santa Cruz led in kills 13-9
• Yellow Jackets hit .182
• Banana Slugs hit .455

Second Set (BW 25-20)

• UC-Santa Cruz led in kills 14-13
• Yellow Jackets hit .440
• Banana Slugs hit .188

Third Set (BW 26-24)

• BW led in kills 17-13
• Yellow Jackets hit .406
• Banana Slugs hit .258

Fourth Set (BW 25-23)

• UC-Santa Cruz led in kills 17-11
• Yellow Jackets hit .419
• Banana Slugs hit .346

The Yellow Jackets are back in action Sunday, January 26 as they close the 2025 Baldwin Wallace Invitational against No. 11 nationally ranked St. John Fisher (N.Y.) University at 2:30 p.m. in Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.