ST. DAVIDS/MALVERN, Pa. – The Yellow Jackets opened their season with back-to-back 3-0 victories against Eastern and Immaculata, improving to 2-0 in season-opening matches since joining the ODAC.
Score: (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, Eastern 0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-17); (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, Immaculata 0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-23)
Venues: The Nest at Eastern University and Alumnae Hall at Immaculata University
Records: Randolph-Macon (2-0, 0-0 ODAC); Eastern (0-1, 0-0 MAC); Immaculata (0-1, 0-0 United East)
How it Happened vs. Eastern
- Randolph-Macon and Eastern remained within one point of each other for the first 13 points, until the Yellow Jackets forced back-to-back errors from the Eagles to take an 8-6 lead. Then, Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) found Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) for two consecutive kills, forcing a timeout from Eastern with the Lemon and Black leading, 14-9. Out of the timeout, RMC tallied another two quick kills, as Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) pushed his team to a 16-9 advantage. While the Eagles were able to close the deficit to five, Rogan located Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hill), Van Essendelft and Wagenhauser for three-straight kills to take the first set, 25-16.
- Van Essendelft picked up from where he left off in set one, posting two kills for the first two points of the set, getting RMC out to an early lead. Eastern then seemed to find its groove, as the Eagles tied the set at eight due to some attack errors from the road team. Matthews then gave his team some momentum, accounting for three consecutive points, putting his team up 11-8 after two kills and a commanding block. The offensive run was short-lived, as EU responded with a 6-2 run, forcing a timeout from the Lemon and Black. Despite the Eagles earning the first point out of the break, Randolph-Macon went on to win six of the next seven points, as four assists from Rogan led to a 19-16 advantage for the Yellow Jackets. Even though Eastern stopped the run, a kill from Nathan Karluk (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) reignited the offense, as another timeout from Eastern could not stop the Yellow Jackets from taking the second set, 25-18.
- Randolph-Macon found itself trailing 3-5 in the third set, before kills from Rogan and Wagenhauser tied the set back up at five a piece. Although Eastern recorded a kill to recapture a 6-5 advantage, Wagenhauser piloted a 5-1 run for his team, as the senior laced two kills and a service ace to put RMC up, 10-7. Matthews continued to apply the pressure, as he went on to post two kills and a service ace of his own, which was part of yet another 5-1 run to give the Lemon and Black a dominant 15-8 lead. While the Eagles forced three-straight errors in the closing moments of the match, a kill from Isayah Johnson (Fluvanna, Va./St. Anne's Belfield) helped RMC earn a 25-17 victory in the third set.
Inside the Numbers vs. Eastern
- Randolph-Macon led Eastern in total attacks (81-to-69), assists (39-to-21), service aces (seven-to-one) and hitting percentage (.321-to-.174).
- RMC limited its errors in the match, posting only one reception error compared to seven from Eastern, as well as 11 service errors compared to 14 from the Eagles.
- Wagenhauser finished with match-highs in total attacks (23) points (15) and kills (12). He also added two service aces.
- Rogan led the match with 33 assists and also tallied four points, three digs and two service aces. Extending back to the 2025 season, Rogan has notched 30-or-more assists in eight consecutive matches.
- Matthews and Brady Plucker (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) tied for a match-high eight digs. Matthews also led the Yellow Jackets in hitting percentage (.400), while finishing second in points (13).
- After totaling 16 total attacks, Van Essendelft has reached the double-digit mark in each of his past nine matches, extending back to the 2025 season.
For the Record
- Randolph-Macon has now won three of its past four season-opening matches, including a 2-0 record in opening matches since joining the ODAC.
How it Happened vs. Immaculata
- Immaculata opened the match with the first point, but Randolph-Macon retaliated with an 8-1 run of its own, highlighted by kills from Wesley Graves (Chester, Va./Thomas Dale) and Davis Luck (Ashland, Va./Patrick Henry). After calling a timeout down 8-2, the Mighty Macs battled the next six points with the Yellow Jackets, as RMC still held a 10-3 advantage. Then, the home team constructed a 7-1 run, as Immaculata was able to cut RMC's lead to just 11-10. The Lemon and Black were able to get their momentum back, after a 5-1 run that was headlined by two kills from Graves. Even though the Mighty Macs worked the set back to a one-point game, down 15-16, they were forced to call a timeout after kills from Luck and Tyler DeMeritt (Rota, Spain/David G. Farragut) helped guide the Yellow Jackets to a 20-15 lead. Despite Immaculata earning the first two points out of the break, three consecutive service aces from Zach Bond (Henrico, Va./J.R. Tucker) helped the Yellow Jackets secure a 25-19 win in set one.
- Randolph-Macon earned the first three points of the second set, fueled by back-to-back service aces from AJ Angeles (Moseley, Va./Cosby). While Immaculata was able to put itself back down 3-4, kills from Luck and Matteo DeLuca (Glen Allen, Va./Maggie Walker Governor's School) forced a timeout from IU, with RMC leading 8-3. The Lemon and Black continued to dominate in the middle of the set, as Caleb Brown (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) registered an ace, followed by a kill to force another timeout from the Mighty Macs, with the home team down 3-11. IU was able to hold its own, as it went on to win eight of the set's next 13 points, getting within five down 11-16. After a service error stopped the run, back-to-back service aces from Luck helped give RMC a 25-13 win in the second set.
- The Yellow Jackets opened the third set with a 6-2 advantage, after Bond, Luck and Finn Oakley (Cambridge, UK/Hills Road Sixth Form College) all recorded kills. The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 11-6, as Angeles was able to set up three more kills to three different players. Immaculata responded to the pressure, as the Mighty Macs evened the set 11-11 after two kills and two service aces. The match rallied closer than it had ever been, as both programs traded points until Randolph-Macon emerged with a 17-15 lead, thanks to an attack error from the home squad. Just as RMC worked for a 20-17 lead, it was forced to call a timeout leading 20-19 after the Mighty Macs got within one, down 19-20. Immaculata remained on the offensive after the timeout, forcing RMC into three consecutive attack errors to take a 20-22 lead. In the clutch, Randolph-Macon emerged with a 25-23 win in the third set, thanks to back-to-back match-clinching kills form Aaron Schreuder (Tomball, Texas/Woodlands Christian Academy).
Inside the Numbers vs. Immaculata
- RMC led IU in total attacks (92-to-86), service aces (10-to-two), total blocks (seven-to-one) and hitting percentage (.163-to-.047).
- Much like the earlier match, RMC remained disciplined in the errors category, as they did not commit any ball handling errors, and paced Immaculata in reception errors (two-to-10) and blocking errors (three-to-four).
- Luck finished with match-highs in total attacks (27), points (15) and kills (11).
- Thomas Eubank (Henrico, Va./Mills Godwin) and Angeles tied for a team-high six digs.
- Bond's three consecutive service aces marked a total match-high. He also tallied eight total attacks and three errors in the contest.
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets head to Buena Vista, Virginia, to face #4 Southern Virginia on Wednesday, January 21 at 7:00 p.m.
