NEWARK, N.J. – The Randolph-Macon men's volleyball team played the first of their three matches in two days on Friday night, this one against 15^th-ranked Rutgers-Newark. The Yellow Jackets fell to the Scarlet Raiders in a close five-set match.

The Basics:

Scores: Rutgers-Newark 3, Randolph-Macon 2 (22-25, 25-22, 16-25, 32-30, 15-9)

Location/Venue: Newark, N.J./Rutgers University - Newark/The Golden Dome

Records: Rutgers-Newark (8-5, 1-1 CVC), Randolph-Macon (9-11, 2-1 CVC)

How it Happened:

• RMC pulled away with an early lead in the first set, getting kills from multiple different players to stretch to a 14-9 lead. The Scarlet Raiders found their footing, knotting the score at 18 each, but Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) and Kolby Gibson (Bumpass, Va./Louisa) each had kills near the end to give RMC the first set win, 25-22.
• The second set was much closer from the beginning. The Raiders grabbed a three-point lead at 12-9 but RMC answered by tying it 13-13. Newark then pulled away, going on a
  4-0 run that led to an 8-3 run for them to build a lead. RMC tried to cut the deficit, but couldn't complete the comeback, falling 25-22 in set two.
• Set three was all RMC at the beginning, like the first set. The Yellow Jackets opened a 13-8 lead, but the Raiders answered with a 5-2 run to spring back into the set. RMC sparked a 10-3 run to end the set and build all momentum on their side to take set two, 25-16.
• The fourth set was a battle for both teams. The largest lead in the set came once when Rutgers-Newark went up 17-14, and again when RMC went on a 7-1 run to make it 21-18. The Raiders had a 24-23 lead with set point when Ian Wagenhauser got a kill to equalize the score. The two teams went back-and-forth, trading blows, until Wagenhauser had another kill to make it 30-29 in the Yellow Jackets favor. The Raiders ended the set with three straight points to stay alive, and win set four 32-30.
• Seemingly all momentum shifted to Rutgers-Newark as they pulled away to a 10-3 lead in the fifth set, putting RMC on the ropes. The Yellow Jackets brought the lead back to 12-8 after a Jarrett Carrano (Beaverdam, Va./Patrick Henry) kill, but the Raiders finished the comeback by winning the fifth set 15-9.

By the Numbers:

• Ian Wagenhauser returned to the lineup in a big way, with 20 kills to his credit. He also had five total blocks and six digs on the night.
• Kolby Gibson had 12 kills in the match as well as eight digs.
• Jarrett Carrano also had 12 kills with 10 digs and a block.
• Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) had his fifth match of 40+ assists of the season, totaling 42 assists in the five-set match.

Up Next:

Randolph-Macon will be back in action tomorrow for two matches at Kean University. The first match is against Kean at noon. The second is against St. Francis-Brooklyn at 2:00 p.m.