ELGIN, Ill. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team (2-9) dropped its final match at the Judson Invitational on Saturday afternoon, 3-1 to the Olivet Nazarene University Tigers (2-15). Rockford won a hard-fought first set 25-23, before dropping a heartbreaking second set 26-24. The Tigers then seized control of the match by winning the third and fourth sets 25-16 and 25-19. The Regents had a pair of players hit double-digits in kills in the match for only the second time this season.
Jose Padron and
Connor McNear each finished with 10 kills.
- The first set of the match was very close from start to finish. Olivet Nazarene scored the first point of the set and did not trail until the final moments.
- With the Tigers clinging to a 20-19 lead, Rockford scored four straight points to jump out in front 23-20. The Regents took advantage of a trio of Tiger errors and an Isaiah Dixon kill.
- The Tigers did answer back with two straight points and closed the gap to a single point at 23-22.
- Fortunately, Rockford scored two of the final three points to take the opening set 25-23.
- The second set saw the Regents fall behind 6-4 in the opening moments.
- However, Rockford responded with a 5-0 run to retake the lead at 9-6. Danny Karpenko got things started with a kill and Jose Padron capped off the run with a service ace.
- Rockford's lead did not last long though, as the Tigers answered right back with a 5-0 run of their own, to leap in front by a score of 11-9.
- The two teams would then trade points for the remainder of the set, with neither team leading by more than two the rest of the way.
- The Tigers had a set point at 24-23, but Rockford quickly erased that courtesy of a kill by Jose Padron.
- Unfortunately, Olivet Nazarene scored the next two points to win the set 26-24 and tie the match at 1-1.
- The third set was close in the early moments, with Rockford down by a single point at 5-4.
- However, the Tigers promptly went on an 8-2 run to take a 13-6 lead and seize control of the set.
- The Regents never got any closer than five the rest of the way, as Olivet Nazarene won the third set 25-16.
- The fourth set saw the Regents take an early 9-7 lead. Connor McNear and Danny Karpenko each smashed home a kill over that span.
- Olivet Nazarene then scored seven of the next nine points to take a 14-11 advantage.
- With Rockford now trailing 15-13, the Tigers went on a 4-1 run to extend their lead to 19-14.
- Unfortunately, the Regents were unable to get any closer than three the remainder of the way, dropping the third set 25-19 and the match 3-1.
- Connor McNear finished with a season-high 10 kills.
- Jose Padron recorded his second double-double of the season. Padron had 10 kills, a match-high 12 digs, 1 assist and 1 ace.
- James Davenport had 10 digs and 1 assist.
- Isaiah Dixon tallied 6 kills, 4 digs and 1 block.
- Josh Albers recorded a match-high 27 assists, 4 digs and 1 ace.
