CHICAGO, Ill. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team fell in straight sets on the road Wednesday night to the North Park University Vikings. Despite dropping the match 3-0, Rockford played extremely well in the first set. The Regents led most of the way and even held a late 23-21 edge. Unfortunately, North Park used a 4-0 run to win the set and help build momentum moving forward. The Vikings won both the second and third sets comfortably to improve their all-time record to 2-0 against Rockford.
- Rockford's Isaiah Dixon opened the match with a kill to help the Regents jump out to a quick 2-0 lead.
- The Regents would extend their advantage to as many as three points on a couple of occasions early on, with the latter coming at 8-5 following a Connor McNear kill.
- However, the Vikings promptly went on a 6-1 run to grab their first lead of the evening at 11-9.
- With the set now tied at 18, Rockford scored four of the next five points to match its largest lead of the set at 22-19. Josh Bowling got things started with back-to-back kills and Nathan Simons also chipped in a kill.
- Unfortunately, North Park closed on a 6-1 spurt, including scoring the final four points, to win the opening set 25-23.
- Rockford again got off to a good start in the second set, jumping out to a 4-2 advantage. Josh Bowling opened the set with a kill and Isaiah Dixon added in a service ace over that span.
- With Rockford still holding an 8-7 advantage, North Park went on a 12-2 run and seized control of the set.
- The Regents never got any closer than six and dropped the second set 25-17.
- Rockford stayed within striking distance for much of the third set despite never leading.
- The Vikings' lead hovered around three or four points, until North Park used a 6-2 run midway through to take a 16-9 advantage.
- North Park pushed its lead out to as many as nine, before ultimately winning the third set 25-16 and the match 3-0.
- Josh Bowling tallied a season-high 6 kills, 2 digs and had a team-high .357 hitting percentage.
- Connor McNear finished with 6 kills, a team-high 5 blocks and 3 digs.
- Isaiah Dixon notched a team-high 7 kills, 7 digs, 1 ace, 1 block and 1 assist.
- Nathan Simons added a team-high 8 digs, 4 kills, 2 aces and a block.
- Tsubasa Namai had a team-high 17 assists, 7 digs and 2 blocks
