EUREKA, Ill. - The Rockford University women's volleyball team split a pair of five-set matches with Eureka College and Beloit College on Saturday. The Regents opened the day with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Red Devils. Rockford had statistical edges in both kills, 50-48 and aces, 9-8, but committed 15 more attack errors, which ultimately was the difference in the match. The Regents' second match of the day saw Rockford jump out to a quick 2-0 lead. However, Beloit went on to win the next two sets and tie the score at 2-2. Fortunately, the Regents were able to regroup and win the fifth set for their fourth straight victory over the Bucs. Statistically, the Regents had an edge in kills, 40-38 and blocks, 10-2, but the Bucs led in service aces, 13-9. However, one of the main deciding factors in the match was once again attack errors. This time it was the Bucs who committed 20 more attack errors than the Regents, which helped propel Rockford to its first win of the season.
Eureka 3 Rockford 2
- The match got off to an excellent start with Rockford taking an early 8-4 lead. Three different Regents had at least one kill over that span, led by two from Kennedy Bryant.
- Rockford's lead hovered around 2-3 points until the Red Devils used a 5-2 run late in the set to take a 22-21 advantage, their first since it was 2-1.
- The Regents were able to jump back in front at 24-23 and get their first set point of the match following an Amelia Rodriguez kill.
- After a Eureka kill tied the score, Rockford ran off two straight points, capped off by a Isabella Valdes service ace, to win the opening set 26-24.
- The second set was tight early on with each team leading on multiple occasions.
- With Rockford out in front 7-6, Eureka used an 8-1 run to take a commanding 14-8 advantage.
- The Regents were able to cut the deficit in half and get back to within three on a pair of occasions, with the later coming at 17-14.
- Unfortunately, the Red Devils went on to take the set 25-20 and tie the match at 1-1.
- The third set got off to a rough start with Eureka scoring the first five points.
- Fortunately, the Regents scored 11 of the next 16 points to take their first lead of the set at 11-10. Six different players scored a point for Rockford over that span. Three Regents had a kill and three others tallied a service ace.
- With the score now tied at 14-14, Rockford scored three straight points, including back-to-back aces from Ashley Miller.
- However, the Red Devils outscored the Regents 11-2 down the stretch to win the set and take a 2-1 lead.
- Rockford fell behind early in the fourth set but once again came roaring back to take the lead. The Regents used a 7-1 spurt to jump out in front 8-5. Three different Regents had a kill, led by two from Amelia Rodriguez.
- Rockford steadily built its lead up to as many as six points on three different occasions, including on an Ashley Miller kill to win the set and knot the match at 2-2.
- The fifth and deciding set saw Eureka take an early 7-3 lead. However, Rockford scored the next three points to pull back to within one at 7-6.
- The Regents continued to fight and would eventually tie the score at 9-9.
- Unfortunately, the Red Devils closed on a 6-2 run to win the set and the match.
Rockford 3 Beloit 2
- Rockford scored six of the first eight points to take an early 6-2 lead in the first set.
- The Bucs responded with an 8-2 run of their own to take a 10-8 advantage.
- Rockford hit right back and scored the next five points, as a part of a larger 13-6 spurt to take a commanding 21-16 lead. Four players had a kill over that span, including two each from Amelia Rodriguez and Kennedy Bryant.
- The Regents pushed their lead up to as many as six en route to winning the first set 25-19.
- Rockford was in control of the second set from start to finish. The Regents scored the first five points and used another 6-0 run midway through to take a 15-5 advantage.
- The Bucs never got any closer than nine the rest of the way, as Rockford won the second set 25-9 to take a 2-0 lead.
- The third set featured a pair of significant runs, one by each team.
- Beloit had a 12-2 spurt to jump out to a commanding 18-8 lead.
- With the Bucs still leading by nine at 23-14, Rockford scored seven straight points to get all the way back to within two.
- Unfortunately, Beloit scored two of the final three points to win the set 25-22.
- The fourth set saw the Buccaneers slowly build their lead up to as many as six points at 16-10.
- Rockford was able to chip away at the deficit over the next 16 points and get to within two at 22-20.
- However, Beloit held off the Rockford rally and hang on to win the set 25-22 and tie the match at 2-2.
- The fifth and final set saw Rockford open on a 6-2 run. Ashley Miller led the RU offensive attack with a pair of kills.
- With the Regents still leading by two points at 10-8, Rockford scored the next four points, capped off by a Leila Cooks kill.
- After three Buc points, Amelia Rodriguez ended the match with her 11th kill, to give the Regents the five-set victory
Eureka
- Amelia Rodriguez finished with a team-high 11 kills, 4 digs and an assist.
- Kennedy Bryant tallied a career-high 11 kills and 4 digs.
- Keara Ross had a career-high and match-high 31 digs, 6 assists, 2 aces and 1 kill.
- Ashley Miller had a career-high 30 digs, 7 kills, 2 aces and an assist.
- Leila Cooks finished with a match-high 24 assists and 18 digs.
Beloit
- Amelia Rodriguez had a match-high 11 kills, 5 digs and 3 blocks.
- Leila Cooks tallied a match-high 21 assists, 15 digs, 1 kill and 1 ace.
- Ashley Miller had a match-high 21 digs, 8 kills, 1 assist and 1 ace.
- Kennedy Bryant recorded 5 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks and 1 assist.
- Keara Ross finished with 12 digs, a career-high 5 aces and 1 assist.
