LYNCHBURG, Va. – Brady Plucker (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) notched 24 digs in the 3-0 victory against Roanoke, setting a new single-match program record.
Score: (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, Roanoke 0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-21)
Venue: Salem, Va. // Cregger Center // Roanoke College
Records: (RV) Randolph-Macon (13-2, 4-0 ODAC); Roanoke (8-4, 4-1 ODAC)
How it Happened
- While Roanoke won three of the set's first four points, the Yellow Jackets established a 7-5 advantage, thanks to three Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) to Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) connections. Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hill) then joined Nathan Karluk (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) for a block before Matthews got two kills of his own, propelling his team out to a 14-9 cushion. Roanoke responded well, as a block from Rogan and Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) was not enough to stop a 5-1 run for the home team, as the Maroons were within one, down 14-15. Rogan then located Matthews for three kills, as well as Wagenhauser, Van Essendeflt and Landon Brinkley (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian) for a kill each, closing the set on a 9-5 run to take the first, 25-20.
- Matteo DeLuca (Glen Allen, Va./Maggie Walker Governor's School) let two service aces fly to start the second set, but it was Roanoke tying the set at eight after three errors from the Yellow Jackets. The two programs then went back and forth on points until RMC captured a 14-12 lead, as Rogan, Brinkley, Matthews and Karluk all had kills. The Maroons responded to the pressure, as three kills and a service ace gave them their first lead of the second set, 17-16. Rogan assisted Wagenhauser before finding Van Essendelft, helping the Lemon and Black take a 20-19 edge. With the lead, the road team won five of the next eight points, including four of the final five, to earn a 25-22 set two win.
- The Yellow Jackets came out hot to start the third, as three-straight service aces from Matthews drove Randolph-Macon out to a 5-0 lead. Even though the Maroons forced three errors in a four-point span to mount a 7-7 comeback, RMC went on its best stretch yet. It put together a 7-1 run to lead 15-8, thanks to service aces from Rogan and Wagenhauser. In a set of runs, Roanoke responded, as they assembled an 8-2 run to pull within one, down 16-17. Van Essendelft and Matthews each tallied two important kills to stop the run before Wagenhauser ripped his 12th and final kill, giving his team a 25-21 set three victory.
Inside the Numbers
- Randolph-Macon led Roanoke in assists (43-37), aces (8-3) and blocks (6-4).
- The Yellow Jackets finished with a higher hitting percentage than the Maroons in each of the three sets played, with the overall averages totaling .284-to-.194.
- Matthews led the match in kills (14), and aces (four). His four service aces marks a new career-high and he also added five digs and two blocks.
- Karluk led the match with three blocks, while Van Essendelft joined Matthews with two.
- Wagenhauser totaled 12 kills, good for second in the match, with 13.5 points on a .375 hitting percentage. He has now reached 12-or-more kills in four of his last five matches.
- Rogan completed pay with a match-high 41 kills to go along with his four digs, and two kills.
For the Record
- After breaking the Randolph-Macon Men's Volleyball single-match record with 24 digs, Plucker now has 118 on the season. The junior has now surpassed 100 digs in each of his three seasons.
- With his four service aces in the contest, Matthews has totaled nine in his 2026 campaign, good for a new single-season high.
- Extending back to the 2025 season, the Yellow Jackets have won 19 of their last 21 regular season matches. The 2026 Yellow Jackets are 13-2 though their first 15 matches of the season, marking the best start to a season in program history.
Up Next
Men's Volleyball will host Eastern Mennonite and Messiah for a tri-match on Saturday, February 28, with matches at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
