BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team fell 3-1 on the road Wednesday evening at undefeated Illinois Wesleyan University. After dropping the first two sets 25-19 and 25-15, the Regents rebounded with a strong showing over the final two sets. Rockford led for the majority of the third and then held a 21-20 advantage late in the fourth, as the Regents hoped to force a fifth and deciding set. Unfortunately, the Titans closed things out on a 5-1 run to win the match and improve their record to 5-0 against the Regents.
- Neither team was able to build much of lead in the opening moments of the first set, as their were five lead changes over the first thirteen points.
- After taking a 14-12 advantage, the Titans scored five of the next six points to grab the largest lead thus far for either team.
- The Regents never got any closer than five the remainder of the way, dropping the first set 25-19.
- The second set got off to a rocky start, with Illinois Wesleyan scoring the first four points.
- Rockford was able to get back to within two at 6-4, thanks to a pair of kills and a service ace from Isaiah Dixon.
- Unfortunately, the Titans answered with a 13-4 run and seized control of the second set.
- The Regents were only able to trim the deficit back down to eight, as the Titans won the second set 25-15 and grabbed a 2-0 lead.
- Rockford again got off to a slow start in the third set, but was able to turn things around. After falling behind 3-1 and again 6-3, the Regents went on a 7-2 run to retake the lead. A trio of Regents tallied a kill over that span, including Tsubasa Namai who also added a service ace.
- Rockford steadily built its lead up to as many as four at 19-15, following a Joaquin Santillan kill.
- Illinois Wesleyan made things interesting down the stretch, by cutting the RU advantage back down to two at 24-22.
- Fortunately, Nathan Vana ended the set with his second kill of the night, to make it a 2-1 match.
- The fourth set went back and forth the entire way, featuring nine lead changes and neither team ever leading by more than three points.
- The Regents used 4-0 run midway through to take their largest lead of the set at 16-13. Nathan Vana and Tsubasa Namai capped off the run with a kill and a service ace.
- However, the Titans proceeded to score the next three points to tie the set. The two schools then continued to trade points until the score was once again tied at 22-22.
- Unfortunately, Illinois Wesleyan scored the final three points of the night, to win the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
- Isaiah Dixon finished with a match-high 14 kills, a match-high 8 digs, 1 ace and 1 block assist.
- Connor McNear added 6 kills, 3 block assists and 2 digs.
- Tsubasa Namai tallied a team-high 19 assists, 5 digs, 2 kills and 2 aces.
