GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team erased a 2-0 deficit and fought all the way back for a thrilling 3-2 win Saturday morning against Calvin University. Rockford struggled to get anything going over the first two sets but finally found its rhythm over the final three, particularly in the fourth and fifth sets. The Regents had 14 kills and hit .297 as a team in the fourth, and then tallied kills on 12 of their 15 points in the fifth set for a stellar .318 hitting percentage. This was the second five-set match in less than 24 hours for the Regents after a grueling five-set affair yesterday afternoon against Adrian.
- The match got off to a rough start with Calvin jumping out to a quick 8-3 advantage in the first set.
- However, the Regents answered with a 6-2 run of their own and cut the deficit all the way down to a single point. Jordan Hurst and Danny Karpenko each had a kill, while Josh Albers added a service ace over that stretch.
- Unfortunately, the Knights scored the next seven points en route to taking the opening set 25-14.
- The second set had almost the exact opposite start with the Regents taking an early 7-3 lead off kills by Danny Karpenko and Jordan Hurst.
- However, just like in the first set, Calvin used a 10-1 spurt to take a 13-8 advantage and seize control of the set.
- The Regents did trim the Knights' lead down to two momentarily, but ultimately Calvin went on to win the set 25-15 and take a commanding 2-0 lead.
- Rockford was able to keep the score close despite finding itself down for much of the third set.
- With Calvin clinging to a 16-14 advantage, Rockford ran off five straight points to grab a 19-16 lead.
- After the Knights tied the score at 19-19, the Regents closed on a 6-3 spurt, capped off by a Jordan Hurst kill, to win the set 25-22.
- The fourth set had a bit of a different feel to it as the Regents never trailed.
- Rockford scored the first two points, and eventually built its lead up to five at 16-11 following three straight kills by Danny Karpenko.
- The Regents extended their lead to as many as seven points on multiple occasions, including after Danny Karpenko kill to win the set and tie the match at 2-2.
- Rockford entered the fifth and deciding set with all of the momentum squarely at its back.
- The Regents jumped out to an early 7-2 lead thanks in large part to a trio of kills by Josh Albers.
- However, the Knights would not go down without a fight. Calvin promptly tied the match at 10-10 after an 8-3 spurt of its own.
- Rockford eventually took a 14-12 lead and secured a pair of set and match points following a Nathan Simons kill.
- Calvin quickly erased the first match point, but Danny Karpenko ended the match with his tenth kill of the day to win the set 15-13 and the match 3-2.
- Danny Karpenko finished with a team-high 10 kills, 4 blocks and 1 ace.
- Josh Albers was a single kill away from a triple-double. Albers had a team-high 17 assists, 10 digs, 9 kills, 4 blocks and 2 aces.
- Josh Bowling tallied 8 kills, 6 blocks, 6 digs and 3 assists.
- Da'Quan Bates had a match-high 16 digs and 1 assist.
