ASHLAND, Va. – After dropping the first set against Marymount, the Yellow Jackets went on to win six consecutive sets, beating Marymount 3-1 and Shenandoah 3-0 in day one of the Macon Invitational..
Score: (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, Marymount 1 (23-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-20); (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, Shenandoah 0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-23)
Venue: Crenshaw Gymnasium at Randolph-Macon College
Records: Randolph-Macon (5-1, 1-0 ODAC); Marymount (2-5, 0-0 CVC); Shenandoah (2-5, 0-4 ODAC)
How it Happened vs. Marymount
- The match was back-and-forth at the start, as neither team created a two-score lead until three-straight points from the Saints put them up, 8-6. After a service error ended the run, RMC kept it within one point, as a kill from Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) put his team down, 9-10. Over the next few points, Marymount forced a few errors from Randolph-Macon to create a 14-11 lead, but Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hill) registered back-to-back kills to keep the set within a rally. After two kills from the Saints put them up 19-15, RMC erupted for a 5-0 run, highlighted by a service ace from Landon Brinkley (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian), putting his squad ahead, 21-19. Despite the momentum, the Yellow Jackets lost set one 23-25, as a result of two consecutive attack errors.
- The Yellow Jackets seemed to find their momentum at the start of set two, creating a 7-5 lead thanks to a service ace from Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) and a kill from Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run). After Sam Cook got two kills for MU, RMC assembled a 7-0 run, fueled by kills from Matthews, Rogan and Brinkley. While the Saints registered kills to take the next two points of the set, two more kills in a three-point burst saw RMC escape out to a 17-9 lead. The Saints responded well, by earning five of the set's next six points. Although they worked the set to 15-19, Randolph-Macon won set two, 25-20, after forcing five errors in six points and getting a block from Van Essendelft.
- Marymount pushed out to a 5-2 lead, including a four-point run, after Gabriel Gonzales posted three consecutive service aces to open set three. Wagenhauser, Matthews and Nathan Karluk (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) responded well to the pressure, as they each rifled kills to push the Yellow Jackets back out to a 7-6 advantage. The teams created extended rallies, resulting in point-for-point action until the home team forced three-straight errors from EU, putting Randolph-Macon ahead, 17-14. With the lead, the Yellow Jackets took seven of the next 11 points, largely in part to some clutch kills from Matthews, leading to an ultimate 25-21 set three win.
- The Yellow Jackets paced Marymount in the start of set four, holding a two-point lead until they were up 9-6, as Wagenhauser had multiple kills in the early stages of the set. After a kill and service ace from Van Essendelft put the Yellow Jackets up 11-7, a service error and two attack errors saw the Jackets' lead fall to 11-10. Then, a service ace from Rogan and a kill from Matthews gave RMC its biggest lead of set three yet, as they found themselves leading 16-10. Despite the Saints taking four of the set's next five points, kills from Brinkley, Van Essendelft and Wagenhauser put RMC up for good, 25-20.
Inside the Numbers vs. Marymount
- The Yellow Jackets led the Saints 10-4 in blocks, while tying 6-6 in service aces.
- Randolph-Macon finished with a higher hitting percentage (.312-to.216) and fewer attack errors (11-to-26) than Marymount.
- Van Essendelft tied for a match-high three service aces, while also leading the match with a season-high six blocks.
- Matthews finished first on the team and second in the match with 14 kills. His 15.5 points scored is his second-highest of the season, as he also tied for second in the match in digs (six).
- Rogan led RMC in assists (22), extending his streak of 20-or-more assists to 15 matches, extending back to the 2025 season.
For the Record
- Randolph-Macon has now won each of its past three matchups against Marymount, as well as four of its past five overall.
How it Happened vs. Shenandoah
- Randolph-Macon jumped out to a 7-2 lead, including five-straight points, after kills from Van Essendelft, Rogan and Matthews. While the Hornets took the next two points with two kills, the Yellow Jackets went on a 7-1 run, putting them up 14-5, thanks to two service aces from Brinkley and two kills from Rogan. Once Shenandoah brought the set within seven, the Yellow Jackets took another five-straight points, this time piloted by four Hornet attack errors. While the Hornets were able to reach the 15-point mark, Rogan found Van Essendelft and Matthews for two kills to end set one with a 25-15 win.
- After falling to a 5-2 deficit to start the second set, Randolph-Macon stole the next four points, after a service ace from Davis Luck (Ashland, Va./Patrick Henry) put the home team up, 6-5. While a kill from Kailen Dmitruk killed the run, the Yellow Jackets went on to take five of the set's next six points, establishing a 11-7 lead two kills from Van Essendelft and a service ace from Caleb Brown (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian). The Hornets remained resilient, closing the gap to 12-14 after they forced a bad set from RMC. The home team rebounded quickly, as Luck, Van Essendelft and Brinkley all posted kills to create an 18-12 cushion. Even though the Hornets went back and forth with the Lemon and Black, a kill from Tyler MeMeritt (Rota, Spain/David G. Farragut) helped RMC take set two, 25-18.
- JB Brizendine (Moseley, Va./Cosby) opened set three with a kill, which evolved to an 8-2 lead for the Yellow Jackets, as Luck led the charge with two service aces. The Hornets began to chip away at the lead, as they trailed 9-10 after back-to-back kills from Dmitruk. Brady Spicer (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox) responded nicely with back-to-back kills, before Matteo DeLuca (Glen Allen, Va./Maggie Walker Governor's School) tallied a service ace, giving the Lemon and Black an 18-11 advantage. Once the Hornets brought the set within five, down 15-20, they put together their most pressure yet, as the road team won seven of the set's next eight points, tying the set at 23. The late scoring surge came up just short, as Spicer's first-career service ace led to a 25-23 set three win.
Inside the Numbers vs. Shenandoah
- The Yellow Jackets paced the Hornets in kills (36-to-31), assists (29-to-24) and service aces (10-to-1).
- RMC also led in hitting percentage (.263-to-.172) and finished with at least 10 kills in each set.
- Van Essendelft led his team with 12 kills, while also leading the match with three blocks.
- Rogan finished first in the match in assists (22), second in aces (two) and second on his team in kills (six).
- Brady Plucker (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) paced both teams with a season-high 11 digs.
- After recording two service aces against both Marymount and Shenandoah, Brinkley has now tallied two service aces in each of his last three matches.
Up Next
Men's Volleyball continues play in the Macon Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, January 31, with a 10:00 a.m. match against Regent on Crenshaw Court 1.
