MECHANICSBURG, Pa.Â
– Kody Rogan totaled 55 total assists in two matches for Randolph-Macon Men's Volleyball against Mount Union and Nazareth on Saturday.
Score:Â Mount Union 3, Randolph-Macon 1 (25-23, 25-13, 22-25, 26-24)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â #17 Nazareth 3, Randolph-Macon 0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-19)
Venue:Â Â Hitchcock Arena/Messiah University
Records:Â Randolph-Macon (1-3), Mount Union (4-2), Nazareth (4-2)
How it Happened vs. Mount Union:
- Mount Union stormed out to a 10-3 lead to begin the first set, but the Yellow Jackets fought their way back to cut the deficit to one at 13-12. UMU earned six of the next eight points to force an RMC timeout, facing a 19-14 deficit. The timeout worked as intended, as RMC found a spark to get within one point late in the set at 22-21. The Purple Raiders held off the Yellow Jackets as the two teams traded points the rest of the way, with UMU winning the set, 25-23.
- The Purple Raiders started strong again with a 6-2 lead in the second set. RMC won four of the next five points, but Mount Union extended the lead with a 14-5 run that gave them a 21-11 advantage. They continued to roll to finish out the second set, winning 25-13 and moving within one set of a sweep.
- The entire third set was evenly matched, as RMC took an early lead but could never extend it. The Yellow Jackets had a three-point lead multiple times throughout the set, but each time, the Purple Raiders would claw their way back. The Lemon and Black never let the Purple Raiders take the lead after they had a 6-5 advantage early on, as RMC held off the comeback attempts to win the set 25-22.
- Mount Union had a 7-6 lead early in the fourth set but grew the lead with a 6-1 run to make the score 13-7. RMC answered with a 3-0 run and then later a 4-0 run that cut the deficit to one point. The Purple Raiders stayed steady, not letting RMC take the lead, despite the Yellow Jackets tying the score at 24. UMU won the final two points, however, to take the fourth set 26-24 and win the match.
Inside the Numbers vs. Mount Union:
- Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) totaled 31 assists and led the team with 12 digs and four aces.
- Brady Plucker (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) was the other Jackets player with double-digit digs, finishing with 10.
- Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) led RMC with 11 kills. He also had three block assists.
- RMC had seven service aces to just two for the Raiders.
How it Happened vs. Nazareth:
- The two sides traded points to begin the first set until Nazareth used a 7-3 run to jump out to an 11-7 lead. The Golden Flyers never had a stretch of more than three straight points, but the lead grew to six at 22-16. RMC found their footing with a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to one point at 22-21, but Nazareth halted the run with two straight points. RMC answered with two straight of their own, but Nazareth closed it out with the final point to win 25-23.
- The Golden Flyers continued to roll into the second set with a 9-4 lead that ballooned into a 17-7 advantage. Nazareth kept the gas pedal down, cruising to the finish line of a 25-14 set two win.
- Like the first set, the two teams went back-and-forth to open the third frame. Nazareth held a 9-8 lead but extended the lead with a 5-1 run to make the score 14-9. RMC cut the deficit down to two points at 16-14 but Nazareth, once again, grew the lead with another run. The Golden Flyers earned four straight points that would be the deciding factor, allowing them to close a 25-19 set three win and get the sweep.
Inside the Numbers vs. Nazareth
Up Next:
- Randolph-Macon will be back in action for the Macon Invitational in Crenshaw Gym on Friday and Saturday.
