FOND DU LAC, Wis. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team (0-2) dropped a pair of matches in straight sets to Wittenberg University (1-0) and Marian University (2-0) to open its season. Rockford fell 25-17, 25-18 and 25-15 to the Tigers and 25-17, 25-16 and 25-20 to the Sabres. The Regents had chances throughout the opening match against the Tigers, but every time it seemed as though Rockford was primed to tie or take the lead, Wittenberg had an answer to put the Regents' attack at bay. Although the Regents only had seven less kills than Wittenberg, the difference in the match was Rockford's 24 attack errors, compared to just 11 for the Tigers. In the second match, Marian controlled the first two sets, but the Regents played extremely well in the third. The Regents led for the majority of that set, but ultimately it was the Sabres who used a 4-0 run to close out the set and the match.
Wittenberg 3 Rockford 0
- The opening set got off to a rocky start with Rockford quickly falling behind 6-1.
- The Regents were able to respond with a 3-1 run of their own, capped off by a Danny Karpenko kill, to pull back within three at 7-4.
- However, the Tigers answered right back with a 7-3 spurt to push their lead up to seven.
- Unfortunately, Rockford was never able to get any closer than four the remainder of the way and dropped the first set 25-17.
- The second set had a near identical start to it, as the Regents dug themselves into an early 8-2 hole.
- With Rockford now trailing by seven, the Regents scored three straight points, bookended by kills from Da'Quan Bates and Nathan Vana, to make it just a four-point game at 11-7.
- Unfortunately, the Tigers scored five of the next six points to make it 16-8. The Regents were never able to get any closer than five after that, as Wittenberg captured the second set 25-18.
- The third set was again all Wittenberg in the opening moments. The Tigers scored eight of the first eleven points to leap out to a quick 8-3 advantage.
- After Rockford made it a three-point game on a Nathan Vana kill, Wittenberg used a 10-3 run to grab its largest lead of the match at 18-8.
- The two schools would trade points the remainder of the way, with Wittenberg winning the third set 25-15 and the match 3-0.
Marian 3 Rockford 0
- Rockford and Marian went back-and-forth for the first six points of the day, resulting in the 3-3 tie early on.
- Marian then used a 6-1 run to take the largest lead for either team thus far at 9-4.
- The Sabres would push their advantage up to as many as six points before Rockford went on a 3-0 run, capped off by a Da'Quan Bates ace, to cut the Sabres lead in half.
- Unfortunately, Marian answered right back with a 3-0 run of its own and retook a six-point lead at 15-9.
- The Regents were unable to get any closer than four the remainder of the set and fell by a final score of 25-17.
- Rockford continued to struggle in the opening moments of sets, falling behind 11-4 to begin the second set.
- The Regents were however able to score the next three points and pull back within four at 11-7. Da'Quan Bates led the offensive attack with a kill over that span.
- With Rockford still trailing by four at 15-11, Marian used a 5-1 run to seize control of the set. The Regents never got any closer than seven the remainder of the way, as Marian took the second set 25-16.
- The third set was a much different story than the previous two.
- Rockford was finally able to build some momentum early on and jump out to a quick 7-4 lead. Danny Karpenko led the Regent attack with both a kill and a service ace during that span.
- With Rockford still holding a two-point advantage at 16-14, Marian scored the next four points to take its first lead of the third set.
- Following a Regent timeout, Rockford and Marian traded the next seven points.
- With Marian now clinging to a one-point lead at 21-20, the Sabres closed out the match with four straight points to win the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
Wittenberg
Marian
The RU men's volleyball team is back in action next Friday, January 21 for a pair of home matches against Mount Mercy and Illinois Wesleyan. First serves begin at 3 PM and 7 PM in the Seaver Center.
