SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The Concordia Wisconsin men's volleyball team fell in a pair of matches against top-10 opponents on day two of the Slug Slam Tournament, hosted by UC-Santa Cruz. The Falcons faced No. 9 California Lutheran in the morning before battling No. 8 New York University later in the day.
 
Game 1 | No. 9 California Lutheran 3, Concordia Wisconsin 0
 
Concordia Wisconsin opened the day against ninth-ranked California Lutheran. The Kingsmen controlled the first two sets, but the Falcons responded with a strong effort in the third, refusing to go down quietly.
 
The teams traded points early in the set before California Lutheran built a 23-18 lead. A kill by sophomore Reid Scott (Chandler, Ariz.) and consecutive Kingsmen errors sparked a late Falcon rally, trimming the deficit to 24-21. Despite the push, California Lutheran closed out the set to secure the sweep.
 
Scott led CUW offensively with six of the team's 17 kills, hitting .294 for the match. Sophomore setter Hayden Hurley (Gilbert, Ariz.) added 15 assists.
 
On the defensive end, senior Tate Miller (Anthem, Ariz.) recorded a team-high five digs, while freshman libero Cooper Dammann (Altadena, Calif.) chipped in four. Senior Chase Ammons (Elm Grove, Wis.) tallied the Falcons' lone solo block, and senior Will Wood (Savage, Minn.) along with sophomore Parker Butterfass (Shakopee, Minn.) each registered two block assists.
 
Game 2 | No. 8 New York University 3, Concordia Wisconsin 1
 
The Falcons opened their afternoon match by stunning eighth-ranked NYU with a 25-23 first-set victory. CUW closed the frame on a 6-3 run, capped by back-to-back kills from Miller to claim the early 1-0 lead.
 
Concordia Wisconsin was efficient offensively in the opening set, hitting .438 with 16 kills on 32 attempts and just two errors. Scott recorded five kills in the frame, while Miller added three. The Falcons also served up four aces, each from a different player.
 
NYU responded by taking the next three sets to claim the match, though each frame remained competitive.
 
Miller paced the Falcons with 12 kills while hitting .417 for the match, with Scott close behind at 11. Sophomore Owen Kolozsy (Carol Stream, Ill.) and Butterfass each added nine kills to round out the offensive attack.
 
Hurley played a key all-around role, dishing out 31 of the team's 37 assists while also collecting seven digs, one shy of his career high. Defensively, Scott and Dammann each finished with six digs, while Ammons added two solo blocks at the net.
 
The Falcons will conclude play at the Slug Slam Tournament on Sunday against No. 7 Vassar. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT.