ASHLAND, Va. – Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hil) finished with career-highs in points (24) and kills (21), helping his team to an exciting 3-1 win at home.
Score: #17 Randolph-Macon 3, Roanoke 1 (25-15, 20-25, 25-20, 25-21)
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Crenshaw Gymnasium // Randolph-Macon College
Records: #17 Randolph-Macon (23-4, 11-0 ODAC); Roanoke (16-7, 9-2 ODAC)
How it Happened
- In set one, the set was back-and-forth for the first 10 points, as the crowd saw Randolph-Macon take a 6-4 lead, thanks to back-to-back kills form Matthews and Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run), as it was Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) hitting them both. The home team then constructed a 7-1 run to take an 18-10 lead, after forcing three-straight attack errors, followed by two kills from Matthews and a service ace from Rogan. Thanks to a kill from Landon Brinkley (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian), RC was forced to call a timeout while trailing 14-21. RMC went on to win four of the set's last five points, fueled by a service ace from Matthews, clinching set one 25-15.
- Randolph-Macon opened set two with an 8-6 lead, as Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory), Wagenhauser, Matthews and Nathan Karluk (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) all had kills. Using two kills and a service ace, the Maroons gained some momentum and tied the set at 12. Once Roanoke had a 15-14 lead at the media timeout, they forced a timeout from RMC after they went on a 5-2 run. Even though the Yellow Jackets forced an attack error and got two kills from Karluk and Wagenhauser, RC took set two 25-20.
- This time it was Roanoke who generated an early 6-3 lead, coming as a result of four kills and a service error. Rogan located Wagenhauser for a kill before Van Essendelft ripped a service ace to get RMC back on track within one. Within two down 6-8, the home team put together a 6-2 run, leading to am 12-11 lead. Even though the visitors won the next two to take the lead, the Lemon and Black used two kills from Matthews and one from Van Essendelft to force a Maroon timeout, down 17-19. The late pressure from Randolph-Macon proved to be too much, as Roanoke called another timeout after dropping the next three points via errors. The Yellow Jackets saw Rogan find Brinkley for a kill to help give RMC a 25-20 set three win.
- Once two kills from Matthews and one from Van Essendelft gave the home squad a 4-0 lead, they ballooned it to 10-5, as a result of Rogan finding both Wagenhauser and Matthews for rips. RMC forced two attack errors from the Maroons before Rogan assisted Matthews and Van Essendelft for kills, preserving a 15-10 lead at the media timeout. Brinkley dropped in a service ace to get the scoring started for his team after the timeout, but it was the Maroons who used a key black to get block within two, down 16-18. This was part of a larger 6-2 run to pull within one, down 19-20. Wagenhauser silenced the opposition with a kill and after a long rally, Matthews got one of his own to force the visitors into a timeout while still down 19-22. Van Essendelft was able to end the game, thanks to a fundamental pass from Rogan, winning the final set 25-21.
Inside the Numbers
- The two programs tied in kills (51-51), but it was RMC trailing 14-24 in attack errors.
- RMC led RC in hitting percentage (.298-to-214) and service aces (six-to-two).
- The home team also provided strong defense in the contest, leading the opposition in block assists (12-to-two) and digs (36-to-33).
- In parallel, Brady Plucker (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) led the match with 11 digs, as he also provided an assist.
- Matthews had a career day, posting new personal-highs in kills (21) and points (24). He also ripped a match-high .474 hitting percentage, while registering seven digs and two aces.
- Wagenhauser finished second-highest on the team with 10 kills, as he also had four digs and a block assist.
- Van Essendelft was second on the team with 11.5 points, adding eight kills and a service ace.
For the Record
- With his 21 kills, Matthews surpassed his 227 mark for the most in a single season in his career. He now sits at 244 in 2026, after having 223 in 2025.
- With his 38 assists, Rogan now has 709 in 2026. With the mark, the senior setter has now reached 700 for the third time in his career (2023, 2025-26).
- With his 10 kills in today's contest, Wagenhauser now has 203 in the season. The senior has now reached 200-or-more kills in each of his four seasons (2023-26).
Up Next
Men's Volleyball travels to Harrisonburg, Va., to take on Eastern Mennonite on Wednesday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m.
