FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Rockford (0-10) concluded its 10-match road trip to begin the season on Saturday with a 3-0 loss at Marian University (4-4). Although both the Regents and Sabres are members of the NACC, Saturday's tilt was actually a non-conference match between the two schools. Unfortunately, it was the Sabres who were in control throughout the entire day. Marian racked up 36 kills, compared to just 19 for the Regents, as the Sabres went on to pick up the win (25-12, 25-12, 25-18).
- The Sabres got off to a hot start in the opening set, scoring 13 of the first 18 points.
- With the Sabres still holding an eight-point lead late in the set, Marian ran off five straight points to make it a 23-10 game.
- Rockford was able to respond with back-to-back points before the Sabres scored the final two points to win the opening set 25-12.
- The second set had an identical start to it as the first, with Marian once again leaping out to a 13-5 lead.
- The Sabres then scored five of the next six points en route to winning the second set 25-12 and taking a 2-0 lead.
- The Regents saved some of their best volleyball of the day for the third set.
- Rockford scored three of the first five points to take its first lead of the match. Jeremy Weaver, Marcus Pennington and Randall Simental each tallied a kill over that span.
- However, the Sabres bounced right back with a 7-1 run to retake the lead at 9-4.
- Marian would extend its lead to as many as six points before Rockford made one final push midway through the set.
- The Regents strung together four straight points to pull back within two at 18-16. Jose Padron Garcia jump-started the run with a kill off an assist from Jorge Pando.
- Unfortunately, the Sabres closed the match on a 7-2 run to take the third set 25-18 and the match 3-0.
The Rockford University men's volleyball team opens the home portion of its schedule on Friday, February 21 against Concordia University Chicago. Tip-off is set for 7 PM in the Seaver Center.
