ROCKFORD, ILL. - The Rockford University women's volleyball team (0-3) opened the Friday doubleheader against the Saint Mary's College Belles. They found themselves in a hole losing the first set, and were on pace to win the second, when the Belles came back to top the Regents in the second. The third was all Belles again in the eventual third set that put the Regents away. Next, the Regents had to play back-to-back and faced the Eureka College Red Devils (0-2) in a hard fought 5 set match. After a win in the first set the Regents gave up the second and third, but rallied back to take the fourth, forcing the 5th set. They would go on to come back and edge out the Red Devils in that 5th set, taking the match.



1st Match vs. Belles (25-14, 25-23, 25-16)

• The Regents would start off leading 3-1, but the Belles would grab 17 of the next 21 points to set the score at 18-7.
• Rockford would grab 7 more leading up to their eventual set loss, tallying 5 kills and an ace from Melody Moreno.
• The Belles would seal the deal on a kill from a Rockford serve, taking the first set 25-14.
• The second set would see the Regents go up 3-1 again, but a back and forth battle between the two clubs kept it even.
• The score would be tied at 17-17 when the Regents would take off, scoring 6 unanswered points to take the lead 22-17
• But it would be little to celebrate as the Belles were able to put together a scoring run, managing to edge out the Regents, taking 8 of the last 9 points to steal a set from the Regents. The set would end with a score of 25-23.
• The third set was a balancing act of points, going back and forth. Della Crain would help lead the charge with 7 kills in the set to setup a 14-12 lead
• But it would be more of the same as the Belles would take over, grabbing 13 of the last 15 points to run away with the third set, 25-16.

2nd Match vs. Red Devils (25-22, 17-25, 16-25, 27-25, 15-13)

• A very well contensted game in general, the Regents would open up against Eureka down 6-3, but found a stride of good offense, including 2 aces by Taylor Sagen and 2 kills by Della Crain.
• THey would find themselves up 11-6 after that offensive push, but were met with a Eureka response to cut the deficit to 2 at 11-9.
• Rockford would battle with Eureka, slowly stretching their lead to a 23-16 score, ready to take the set.
• Eureka wouldn't give up easily, as they rallied together 5 points of their own to make it 23-21.
• But Rockford would finish the job on the next 3 points, taking 2 of them to win the set 25-22. The final kill coming from Alexxana Burton.
• Eureka would come out swinging the second set, mounting a reasonable 15-7 lead.
• The Regents would rebound from the deficit, cutting it to 15-11, but Eureka would run out the rest of the set, putting up consistent points. The Regents would find 3 points at the end but it would not be enough as Eureka would seal the deal 25-17.
• The third set would see Eureka jump to a 14-4 lead that only kept going. They would find themselves in a very comfortable 20-8 lead, ready to take the second set.
• Rockford would work their way back to 16 points, but by then the Red Devils were in prime position, taking the last 3 points to win set 3 25-16.
• The fourth set saw Eureka go up 5-0 to start the set. The Regents would claw back, however, to eventually tie the match at 14-14.
• Looking defeat in the eyes, down 23-20, the Regents went on to take the lead 24-23, looking to steal a set back.
• Both sides would battle hard and push the final score up to 27 points to get the 2 point difference needed.
• Rockford would force a set 5, 27-25.
• In the final set of the match, Eureka would pour on a 10-4 lead, taking off in the beginning of the set.
• Melody Moreno would find 2 aces and 4 kills, while Nicole Eggers would get herself 4 kills as well, to pull the game to a Rockford lead, 14-12.
• Eureka would find a 13th point, but Rockford would slam the door shut on a kill by Della Crain to take the 5th set, and nab their first win of the season, 15-13.

• Della Crain led the way in kills with 35 over both games.
• Jessica Witkowski found herself 62 assists total.
• Melody Moreno led the team in aces with 2 in each game.

The Rockford University women's volleyball team will head on the road to the Mount Mary Invitational next week. They will play two games against the host, Mount Mary, and other participant, Maranatha Baptist, in back-to-back games at 1PM and 3PM.