SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Cal Lutheran men's volleyball (5-0) defeated Concordia Wisconsin (0-2, 0-0 NACC) in three sets on Friday afternoon in its first of three matches at UC Santa Cruz's tournament. The Kingsmen recorded an impressive .456 attack percentage on 33 kills en route to a 25-13, 25-8, 25-21 victory.

Cal Lutheran got off to a blazing start, winning the match's first six points. Brendan Hom had a pair of kills to get things started before Keaton Hendry dropped in back-to-back service aces. Tyler Linville added a kill, and Connor Crawford registered a block. The Falcons got a few points back, but then the Kingsmen went on a 5-0 run. Hom and Linville each provided another kill, and Crawford tallied another block. Matthew Wilcox joined the party with a kill of his own, and Cal Lutheran was up 11-3. The Kingsmen kept a comfortable lead the rest of the way, and Tyler Linville claimed the first set, 25-13, with a kill.

Once again in the second set, Cal Lutheran claimed the opening six points, including two more kills by Hom. Aidan Godfrey got going for the Kingsmen, with his fourth kill of the set extending their lead to 19-6. A block by Nathan Diaz sealed the dominant set for Cal Lutheran, 25-8.

Two early service aces from Diaz gave the Kingsmen a 5-3 advantage in the third set. Linville's second kill of the set made it 9-7, advantage Cal Lutheran. A 4-0 run by the Kingsmen about midway through the set, highlighted by kills from Mason Rowell and Godfrey, gave Cal Lutheran a 17-11 lead. Concordia Wisconsin would not get closer than three points for the remainder of the set, which the Kingsmen eventually won 25-21.

Hom recorded a game-high nine kills (.600%), and this marks his second-straight match with at least nine kills and no attack errors. It is his third game with at least seven kills and no attack errors, and it is his fourth game with a .550 attack percentage or higher.

Linville totaled eight kills (.462%), and Godfrey added seven of his own. Crawford provided a game-high three blocks, adding six digs. Braden Gonzales collected a game-high nine digs, adding three assists offensively.

Cal Lutheran rotated three setters, with each playing one set. Hendry, Garrett Ream, and Gavin Galanski totaled 10, six, and eight assists, respectively.

The Kingsmen will be back in action tomorrow in Santa Cruz, facing off against two top-10 teams in #7 Vassar (11am) and #8 NYU (5pm). Cal Lutheran currently sits at #9 in the rankings.