SAINT MARY OF THE WOODS, Ind. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team fell 3-0 on the road Saturday afternoon to Truett McConnell University and then 3-1 to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Although the scores were close in the first match of the day, Rockford struggled to get much of anything going offensively. The Regents had no more than 8 kills in any set, but did have a season-high 9 aces. However, the RU offensive attack sprang to life with at least 10 kills in each set of the second match. Rockford posted a season-high 52 kills, the most the Regents have had in a match since midway through the 2023 season. Despite the improved offensive output, Rockford came up just short in both matches.
Truett McConnell 3 Rockford 0
- The Bears scored the first six points to seize control of the opening set of the match.
- TMU held a consistent lead throughout the set and built its advantage up to as many as nine at 23-14.
- However, the Regents came roaring back with an 8-1 run to make it just a two-point game at 24-22. Four different Regents had a kill and two different servers had an ace during that run.
- Unfortunately, Truett McConnell was finally able to net a point and escape the first set with a 25-22 win.
- Rockford continued its momentum to begin the second set by scoring the first two points as a part of an early 7-5 advantage. Isaiah Dixon led the offensive attack with a pair of service aces.
- After TMU took a 10-7 lead, Rockford used an 11-3 spurt to take its largest advantage of the match at 18-13. Danny Karpenko tallied a pair of service aces, while Isaiah Dixon had an ace and a kill to give the Regents a five-point lead.
- However, the Bears flexed their muscle by closing the set on a 12-3 spurt to take the set 25-21 and grab a 2-0 lead.
- The third set more or less mirrored the first with TMU grabbing an early six-point lead at 9-3.
- The Regents were able to get back to within four on a trio of occasions, but the Bears responded with back-to-back points each time to repel the Regent attack.
- Unfortunately, it was not meant to be, as Truett McConnell went on to win the set 25-18 and the match 3-0.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 3 Rockford 1
- Rockford again fell behind early to start its second match of the day. The Regents were down 5-1 right out of the gates and then eventually trailed 12-6.
- However, just like in the first match, Rockford battled back and made things very interesting. The Regents used a 6-2 run, led by a pair of Isaiah Dixon kills, to cut the Pomeroy lead down to just two at 14-12.
- Following two quick SMWC points, Rockford scored six of the next seven points to take its first lead of the match at 18-17. Joseis Dixon and Danny Karpenko each had two kills, while Karpenko added a block over that span.
- The Pomeroys would retake the lead at 20-19, but Rockford scored the next four points to take control of the set. Joseis Dixon, Josh Albers, Josh Bowling and Isaiah Dixon all had a kill to give the Regents a 23-20 lead.
- The two schools then alternated points, with both of Rockford's coming on kills by Josh Bowling, as the Regents won the opening set 25-22.
- The second set again started with Rockford falling behind early, this time by a score of 12-7.
- As has been the case all season, Rockford battled back to get within two following a 4-1 spurt. Isaiah Dixon got things started with back-to-back kills and Jordan Hurst added a kill to make the score 13-11.
- Unfortunately, SMWC quickly pushed its lead back to six at 19-13 and did not look back. Rockford never got any closer than four and dropped the second set 25-18.
- The third set was extremely close the entire way.
- There were a total of nine ties and three lead changes over the first 24 points. Rockford's largest lead came early on at 3-1, while SMWC's largest lead over that span came at 9-7.
- With the score tied at 12-12, the Pomeroys scored four of the next five points to take a 16-13 advantage.
- The Regents cut the deficit to one on three different occasions with the latter coming at 20-19. However, the Pomeroys proceeded to outscore the Regents 5-3 the rest of the way to win the set 25-22 and take a 2-1 lead.
- The fourth set started the same as the first two, with Rockford falling behind 10-5.
- SMWC extended its lead to as many as seven three times, including late in the set at 24-17.
- Rockford did score the next three points, capped off by a Jordan Hurst kill, but it was not enough as the Pomeroys held on to win the set 25-20 and the match 3-1.
Turett McConnell
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
