SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – It was a hard fought day for Cal Lutheran men's volleyball as the Kingsmen managed to reverse sweep both No. 16 Dominican and SUNY New Paltz on day two of the UCSC Slug Slam.

Head Coach Kevin Judd said, "our team showed incredible grit and heart today, battling back from being down in both matches with our backs against the wall. To reverse sweep two quality opponents in five sets speaks to the resilience and leadership of our guys".

NO. 3 CAL LUTHERAN 3, NO. 16 DOMINICAN 2
The Kingsmen made a clutch comeback against the Stars, defeating them 17-25, 19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-11.

Jordan Cooper led the way with 19 kills for a .364 attack percentage. He also added four blocks, four digs, and a service ace. Michael Stahl followed with 16 kills (.324 pct) and 10 digs. Setter Keaton Hendry racked up 36 assists alongside two kills, four digs, and an ace.

The fourth and fifth sets were all Cal Lutheran as the squad out-killed Dominican 26-18 and took full advantage of the Stars' errors, ultimately leading the match to end in favor of the Kingsmen.

NO. 3 CAL LUTHERAN 3, SUNY NEW PALTZ 2
As if five sets weren't enough for Cal Lutheran in game one, the Hawks of SUNY New Paltz gave the Kingsmen another battle. The scores of the match were 23-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 15-13.

"Despite the fatigue, our seniors led with determination, and we never stopped fighting," Judd added. "I couldn't be more proud of the way we came together and fought for every point".

Stahl dominated the Hawks with his third straight double-double. He was all over the court with 19 kills, 11 digs, two blocks, and an assist. 

The Kingsmen recorded a season-high 10 aces in the victory, featuring two apiece from Stahl, Borys Horiuk, and Aidan Godfrey. Ben Weber, Matthew Wilcox, Parker Brown, and Cooper each added one.

UP NEXT
"Tomorrow, we face another tough opponent in Carthage, but I'm confident our team will come back stronger than ever, ready to face the challenge head-on," said Coach Judd.

After some well-deserved rest tonight, the Kingsmen close out the Slug Slam tomorrow morning. They will take on the No. 8 Carthage Firebirds at 10 AM.