ASHLAND, Va. – After beating the Lynchburg Hornets 3-0, Randolph-Macon Men's Volleyball has now reached the 20-win mark in back-to-back seasons, marking the second season in program history they have reached the milestone.
Score: #20 Randolph-Macon 3, Lynchburg 0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-22)
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Crenshaw Gymnasium // Randolph-Macon College
Records: #20 Randolph-Macon (20-3, 8-0 ODAC); Lynchburg (8-9, 5-4 ODAC)
How it Happened
- The Hornets got an early 4-1 lead through the first five points, but kills from Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory), Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hill) and Tyler DeMeritt (Rota, Spain/David G. Farragut) got the home team back within one, down 6-7. After Lynchburg got out to a 13-9 gap, Randolph-Macon stormed back to capture a 17-15 lead, thanks to two kills from Matthews and a service ace from Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory). Van Essendelft then got the crowd on its feet after a big block to extend his team's lead to 21-18. The reigning ODAC Defensive Player of the Week went on to provide a service ace, as the rip from Matthews and a kill from Aaron Schreuder (Tomball, Texas/Woodlands Christian Academy) gave RMC a 25-19 set one win.
- The two programs were locked into a tie until Rogan lobbed a pass backward for a soaring Matthews, putting the Yellow Jackets ahead 5-4. After Matthews registered a kill while laying on the hardwood, the Lemon and Black got out to a 9-4 lead, capped with a kill from DeMeritt. Isayah Johnson (Fluvanna, Va./St. Anne's Battlefield) got his squad back on track with a kill, leading to an 11-8 lead. Lynchburg proceeded to create an 8-4 run, which resulted in a 16-15 advantage, highlighted by a service ace. The Yellow Jackets were then forced to use a timeout, trailing 18-21, as a result of a 3-1 run from LU. With their backs against the wall, the Yellow Jackets took four-straight points, as it was Matteo DeLuca (Glen Allen, Va./Maggie Walker Governor's School) leading the charge with two service aces, bringing the set to 23-23. A timeout from the Hornets was not enough to stop RMC's momentum, as two consecutive service aces from Matthews and Landon Brinkley (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Collegiate) completed the 26-24 set two comeback.
- Rogan and Matthews both took advantage of weak returns early in set three, pushing the home team ahead 3-1. The Hornets found some of their best pressure of the match in set three, as they took a 13-8 lead, forcing a timeout from RMC after a kill and attack error. Much like the previous two sets, the Yellow Jackets found their groove after the break, as kills from Van Essendelft and Matthews saw their team get within two, down 14-16. Matthews built on the momentum with a block and kill, before two blocks from Nathan Karluk (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) and kill from DeMeritt saw RMC climb all the way back to a 20-18 cushion. The Hornets did not have the answer for the Yellow Jacket hitters, as three kills from Matthews, a snipe from Brinkley and smash from Van Essendelft gave Randolph-Macon a 25-22 set three victory.
Inside the Numbers
- Randolph-Macon led Lynchburg in service aces (six-to-three) and total attacks (92-to-90) to headline the offensive side of the ball.
- Overall, the Yellow Jackets held a clear advantage in the errors category, trailing Lynchburg in service errors (eight-to-17) and reception errors (three-to-six).
- Matthews led the match in kills (15), while tying for second on the team in blocks (two) and service aces (two). With a .355 hitting percentage, the junior has now eclipsed .350 in four-straight matches.
- Rogan paced the match with 10 digs, his second-highest of the season, and led his team with 21 assists. He has now tallied 20-or-more assists in 14 consecutive matches.
- The senior also ripped a service ace, giving him at least one in four of his last five matches.
- Plucker finished tied-second in the match with eight digs and also added two assists.
- Van Essendelft tied for a match-high two blocks and finished second on the squad in kills (seven).
For the Record
- Randolph-Macon is now 3-0 against Lynchburg, as RMC has yet to drop a set to LU.
- With five points in the contest, Rogan has reached 103.5 points in 2026. The senior has now notched 100-or-more points in all of his four seasons played.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon has game two of its three-match homestand against Randolph on Saturday, March 14 at 1:00 p.m.
