STEVENS POINT, Wis. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team fell in 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 29-27) on the road Tuesday night to UW-Stevens Point. Rockford struggled to find its rhythm in the first two sets, but played extremely well in the third. Rockford smashed home a season-high 18 kills and led for large swaths of the set. However, it was the Pointers who were able to jump in front down the stretch. Although the Regents fought off five set/match points, ultimately, UW-Stevens Point was able to string together the final two points to win the set and the match.
- The first set featured five lead changes in the opening moments as neither team was able to separate itself early on. Rockford held leads at 3-2, 5-4, 7-6 and then at 9-7 following an Isaiah Dixon kill.
- Unfortunately, the Pointers ran off the next seven points to grab a 14-9 advantage.
- UW-Stevens Point extended its lead to as many as nine on several occasions en route to taking the opening set 25-16.
- The Pointers scored the first two points of the second set, and then pushed their lead to as many as four at 9-5.
- However, Rockford scored the next three points, beginning with a Danny Karpenko kill, to pull back within one at 9-8.
- Unfortunately, Stevens Point used a 13-3 run to take a 22-11 lead and seize control of the set.
- The Regents were unable to get any closer than nine and ultimately dropped the set 25-14.
- The third set was by far the most competitive of the day.
- Rockford scored seven of the first ten points to take its largest lead thus far at 7-3. Nathan Vana and Danny Karpenko led the offensive attack with three and two kills respectively.
- With the Regents still holding an 11-9 advantage, the Pointers scored the next four points to take their first of the set at 13-11.
- Rockford answered right by with a 4-0 run of its own, led by three straight kills from Joaquin Santillan to retake the lead.
- The Regents lead hovered around three points until UW-Stevens Point scored five straight and jumped back in front 24-22.
- Rockford was able to fight off both match points, thanks to kills by Nathan Vana and Joaquin Santillan, and tie the set at 24-24.
- The Pointers and Regents proceeded to trade points back and forth until Stevens Point scored the final two points of the set to secure the 29-27 win.
