LISLE, Ill. - The Rockford University men's volleyball team won its NACC opener on Tuesday night 3-1 (19-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-19) at Concordia University Chicago. After the Regents and Cougars split the first two sets, Rockford began to seize control of the match. The Regents led by as many as ten points in the third set and nine points in the fourth, as Rockford played by far its best match of the year. The Regents posted season-highs in kills (43), attacks (131), hitting percentage (.206), assists (42) and aces (10), and a season-low in attack errors (16). The win gives Rockford its first ever victory against Concordia Chicago and the Regents' first win in a NACC opener since 2020.
- After Rockford scored the first point of the match, Concordia Chicago went a 10-5 run to grab a quick four-point lead.
- With the Cougars now leading 10-8, CUC ran off 5 straight points to seize control of the set.
- Rockford was able to climb back to within four at 18-14, but the Cougars used another 5-0 spurt to take the largest lead of the set for either team.
- The Regents were unable to get any closer than five the rest of the way and dropped the first set 25-19.
- The second set started the opposite of the first, with Rockford grabbing an early 5-1 lead.
- After CUC pulled back to within one at 10-9, the Regents used a 5-2 run to push their lead back up to four. Isaiah Dixon and Josh Bowling led the surge with two kills each over that span.
- However, the Cougars answered right back with a 6-2 run of their own to knot the set at 17.
- Fortunately, Rockford would close the set strong, including scoring the final 3 points, which were capped off by a Da'Quan Bates ace, to take the second set 25-21.
- The Regents picked up right where they left off, by scoring the first six points of the third set. Tsubasa Namai began the things with an ace, and Connor McNear delivered a kill for the Regents.
- Rockford pushed its lead to as many as ten at 18-8, after back-to-back kills by Connor McNear.
- The Cougars never threatened the rest of the set, as Rockford went on to win 25-15 and take a 2-1 lead.
- The Regents again got off to a strong start in the fourth set by taking an 8-4 advantage. Isaiah Dixon and Connor McNear again led the offensive attack, with McNear driving home the final kill over that span.
- With Rockford now leading 14-11, the Regents ran off the next six points to seize control of the set and of the match. Danny Karpenko smashed home his eighth kill of the night to lead the RU charge.
- The Cougars were able to get within five at 23-18, but Isaiah Dixon tallied Rockford's final two kills to win the set 25-19 and the match 3-1.
- Isaiah Dixon finished with a team-high 13 kills, 13 digs, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 1 ace.
- Danny Karpenko had 9 kills and 0 errors for a match-high .563 hitting percentage. He also added 3 aces, 3 digs and 2 blocks.
- Joaquin Santillan had 8 kills, 10 digs, 2 aces and a block.
- Tsubasa Namai tallied a team-high 28 assists, 10 digs, 2 aces, 1 block and 1 kill.
