ROCKFORD, Ill.- Wednesday nights volleyball game against the Dominican University Stars was not going to be an easy match for the Rockford University Regents. Dominican was the conference tournament champions a season ago and with a 9-6 record coming in, the Regents knew they would have to be on top of their game to extend their win streak to three games. Rockford battled all game at the net against a furious Stars offense. Dominican barely edged Rockford in the first set but it would set the tone for the entire match. The Stars would come away with a hard fought 3-0 match win.
Rockford and Dominican battled to a 25-21 first game match. The Regents finished with eight kills on 30 attempts. Game two was more in favor of the Stars who took the set 25-12. Rockford finished with five kills on 26 attempts. The third set was another close battle with Dominican coming away with a 25-17 win. The Regents had six kills on 23 attempts.
The Regent defenders at the net faced a total of 105 attack attempts but despite the high number of attacks they continued to play great defense throughout the match. Rockford finished with a team total of ten block assists and three block solos. 5'11 Freshman Peyton Achs (Erie, Ill./Eastland) stood out with three block assists and two block solos of her own. Achs also had four kills on nine attack attempts. Kayla Kurz (Franklin Grove, Ill./Ashton-Franklin Center) and Marissa Plock (German Valley, Ill./Forreston) each finished with two block assists.
On offense it was Katelyn Hasken (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) once again leading the way for Rockford with seven kills. Erin Pederson (Oregon, Ill./Oregon) was close behind with five kills.
Today's game adds to Rockford's conference lead in blocking. The Regents lead the NACC in block assists with 207 (the next closet team has 166) and they also lead by 13 block solos with a total of 63. Ashley Simmons (Naperville, Ill./North) is second in conference with 15 block solos and Kurz is tied for fourth with 12. Kurz is also second in conference with 43 block assists and Simmons is close behind in third with 42.
Rockford continues its long stretch of home conference game next Tuesday when they host Concordia Chicago at 7:00 p.m.
