BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Randolph-Macon Men's Volleyball continues its tear in 2026, as it swept Bridgewater on the road, before holding the 2025 NCAA Division III Champions to a blank slate.
Score: (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, Bridgewater 0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-13); (RV) Randolph-Macon 3, #9 Southern Virginia 0 (29-27, 25-21, 25-18)
Venue: Bridgewater, Va. // Nininger Hall Gymnasium // Bridgewater College
Records: (RV) Randolph-Macon (19-3, 7-0 ODAC); Bridgewater (3-17, 1-6 ODAC), #9 Southern Virginia (18-3, 2-0 CVC)
How it Happened vs. Bridgewater
- Randolph-Macon opened the first set on a 6-1 run, as Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) found Isayah Johnson (Fluvanna, Va./St. Anne's Belfield) for two kills. While two consecutive points from the Eagles stopped the run, a kill from Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) led to a block from Landon Brinkley (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Collegiate) extending RMC's lead to 10-4. The hosts responded with four kills in five points won, closing the score back to 9-12. Wagenhauser and Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hill) had the answer, as they alternated kills for four consecutive points to help reclaim a 19-11 lead. The Lemon and Black forced three-straight attack errors in the final four points before a kill from Brinkley ended set one, 25-15.
- While the Yellow Jackets earned the first four points of set two after a block from Rogan and Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory), Bridgewater quickly came back to within one, down 4-5, as a result of a kill and a service ace. Wagenhauser then caught fire, as the senior ripped three kills and a service ace to spearhead a 7-2 run for his team, reaching a 12-6 cushion. The road team did not stop there, as they forced four additional errors in a row from the Eagles, creating a comfortable 17-9 lead. Randolph-Macon closed set two on an 8-3 run, taking it 25-12, after two kills from Wagenhauser and a block between Johnson and Matthews.
- Somehow, RMC found a way to create an even better start, as it opened set three on a 13-4 run, including a span in which the team won 10-of-11 points. Van Essendelft kicked it off with a service ace, followed by kills from Matthews, Brinkley and Aaron Schreuder (Tomball, Texas/Woodlands Christian Academy). On the back half of the spurt, Wagenhauser took over, as he contributed two kills and back-to-back service aces. Once the Eagles won five of the set's next seven points, Rogan located JB Brizendine (Moseley, Va./Cosby) to gain some momentum, before Brizendine joined Zach Bond (Henrico, Va./J.R. Tucker) for a block to regain a 19-11 lead. Bond's team closed the set on a 6-2 run to win the third set, 25-13, as a result of two kills from Davis Luck (Ashland, Va./Patrick Henry) and service aces from Thomas Eubank (Henrico, Va./Mills Godwin) and Bond.
Inside the Numbers vs. Bridgewater
- Randolph-Macon held Bridgewater to 15 points or fewer in each of the three sets. This is the second time the Yellow Jackets have held their opponent to 15 or less in each set in a match this season.
- The Yellow Jackets led in kills (34-to-22), assists (31-to-21), digs (26-to-19) blocks (11-to-five) and service aces (seven-to-two).
- RMC continues its streak of incredible hitting percentage, as they registered a .406, while holding BC to -0.013.
- Wagenhauser led the match in kills (12) and aces (three), while tying for second on the team in digs (four).
- His .667 hitting percentage is the third-highest of the season, as his 12 kills were on 15 total attacks.
- Matthews finished second on the team in kills (eight) while adding four blocks and a dig.
- Plucker led the match with nine digs. The junior has now totaled five-or-more digs in each of his last seven matches.
- Rogan tied Van Essendelft for a season-high and match-high five blocks. Rogan also supplied a match-high 26 assists.
How it Happened vs. Southern Virginia
- Right after Southern Virginia earned three of the first four points of the match, Randolph-Macon exploded on an 8-0 run, headlined by two service aces from Rogan. Leading 9-3, RMC saw its lead close to 11-10 as a result of two kills and two RMC errors. Johnson tallied a kill to get the Lemon and Black back on track before Matteo DeLuca (Glen Allen, Va./Maggie Walker Governor's School) found Matthews for a kill, re-establishing a 14-10 lead. The two programs traded points until the Knights put together a 5-1 run, to even the set at 19. Randolph-Macon responded well under pressure, as kills from Brinkley and Matthews, coupled with a service ace from DeLuca, put RMC ahead, 25-22. After SVU fought to knot the set back up, 25-25, Rogan located Matthews who took it upon himself to rip three kills, helping to close set one with a 29-27 win.
- Southern Virginia seemed to learn from its first set, as it established an 8-4 lead after forcing three attack errors from Randolph-Macon. But just like in set one, the Yellow Jackets responded with a forceful 7-0 run, as this time it was Van Essendelft who let four kills fly before Matthews landed a service ace. Once the Knights tied the set 12-12 after a 4-1 run, three kills from Matthews pushed the Lemon and Black ahead 20-15 after a series of errors. Even though the Knights were able to rally together four points in the final six rallies, kills from Brinkley and Matthews and a joint block from Van Essendelft and Tyler DeMeritt (Rota, Spain, David G. Farrragut) helped the Yellow Jackets take a 25-21 set two victory.
- It was all Randolph-Macon to start set three, as it pummeled the Knights for a 12-3 run at the start. Once two service aces from Rogan gave the team a 6-0 lead, two kills from Brinkley and a kill and block from Matthews just contributed to the offensive pressure. The Knights battled to get the set back within seven points, down 8-15, before another three-point run from RMC ballooned the lead back to 18-8. The defending NCAA champions did not back down, as they assembled a 7-2 run to close the Yellow Jacket lead to 22-17, capped off by a service ace and kill. While set three got close, Van Essendelft rifled a serve to give RMC the win and a set three win, with a score of 25-18.
Inside the Numbers vs. Southern Virginia
- Randolph-Macon paced Southern Virginia in blocks (12-to-eight) and aces (seven-to-six).
- The Yellow Jackets tied or led the Knights in each of the three sets, while holding a hitting percentage advantage in two of the three.
- RMC really limited its errors, as they only tallied 13 compared to 23 from SVU.
- Matthews led the contest with a career-high 21.5 points, amassing a match-high 17 kills and tying the team-high with four blocks. He also posted six digs.
- Rogan led the contest with four aces and led his team with 31 assists.
- Brinkley and Van Essendelft tied for a match-high four blocks, as Brinkley also tied his career-high.
- The junior also racked up 10 points, good for the second-highest in his season.
- The duo also finished second and third in the match in kills, with Brinkley earning seven and Van Essendelft tallying five.
- Plucker tied for a match-high seven digs, giving him eight matches in a row with five-or-more.
- Johnson and Rogan tied for a team-high .500 hitting percentage, while Johnson reached the mark on six total attacks.
For the Record
- Randolph-Macon's win against Southern Virginia is the highest ranked win in program history.
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets return home on Wednesday, March 11 to host Lynchburg for their Green Bandana game at 7:00 p.m.
