ASHLAND, Va. – The Yellow Jackets recorded their second-best hitting percentage (.507) in a single match program history, resulting in a 3-0 sweep in their first home contest of the 2026 season.
Score: (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, Carolina 0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-13)
Venue: Crenshaw Gymnasium at Randolph-Macon College
Records: (RV) Randolph-Macon (3-1, 0-0 ODAC); Carolina (1-1, 0-0 AAC)
How it Happened
- Randolph-Macon opened the game with a 5-3 lead, after kills from Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run), Landon Brinkley (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian) and Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory). Not only did Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) assist on all three, he went on to find Brinkley, Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hill) and Wagenhauser for another three RMC kills, extending his squad's lead to 15-9. While Carolina was able to crawl back within four, service aces from Matteo DeLuca (Glen Allen, Va./Maggie Walker Governor's School) and Rogan gave the Lemon and Black a 25-17 victory in the first set.
- The Yellow Jackets tallied kills for the first four points of the second set, as Brinkley had two and Van Essendelft and Matthews each had one, giving them a 4-3 lead. Then, Randolph-Macon exploded for an 11-2 run, including two 5-0 runs to create a commanding 18-7 lead. On the run, Rogan had two service aces and Caleb Crowther (Yorktown, Va./Tabb) had one. Despite the Bruins winning two of the next three points, RMC surged ahead on a 6-0 to capture a 25-9 win in the second set, after two service aces from Brinkley and kills from Van Essendelft, Wagenhauser and Rogan.
- Carolina got off to its best start to a set in the third, as the Bruins created a 4-2 lead after forcing two attack errors. Randolph-Macon responded with a 5-0 run, highlighted by two kills from Nathan Karluk (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian). Once the Bruins won the next point, the Lemon and Black assembled a 6-1 run, as back-to-back kills form Van Essendelft gave RMC a 13-6 advantage. In the back-half of the set, Rogan took over, lacing four service aces over a five-point span, including three in a row to give his team a 21-10 cushion. While a bad set ended the run, Randolph-Macon cruised to a 25-13 win in the third set.
Inside the Numbers
- Randolph-Macon paced Carolina in kills (41-to-15), assists (26-to-12) and service aces (14-to-two).
- Van Essendelft led the contest with 11 kills and tied for a team-high two blocks.
- Rogan finished the match with the most assists (24) among all players, as well as service aces (nine).
- Brinkley finished second in the match in service aces (two) and third in kills (nine).
For the Record
- Rogan's nine service aces ties his own Randolph-Macon record, after recording nine against Kean on February 24, 2024.
- The Yellow Jackets tallied 14 service aces in tonight's contest. This marks the highest in the category since March 4, 2023, in which RMC tallied 16 against Elizabethtown.
- Randolph-Macon only committed seven attack errors against the Bruins. That is the lowest number of total team attack errors in each of the team's last 26 matches played, extending back to the 2025 season.
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets host (RV) Marymount on Friday, January 30, at 6:00 p.m., for their first game of the RMC Tournament in Crenshaw Gymnasium. Shortly after, they will face Shenandoah at 8:00 p.m. on the same court for their second match of the evening.
