Skip Ad

Men's Volleyball

Randolph-Macon Closes Men's Volleyball Season in NCAA First Round

HOBOKEN, N.J. – Randolph-Macon Men's Volleyball concluded its season in a four-set match against Nichols in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament in Hoboken, New Jersey on Thursday night.
 
To watch the post-match press conference, click here.

THE BASICS
  •  Score: Nichols 3, Randolph-Macon 1 (25-18, 25-19, 18-25, 25-20)
  • Venue: Canavan Arena/Stevens Institute of Technology
  • Records: Randolph-Macon (22-10), Nichols (20-14)
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Bison took the opening three points of the first set, but Bryce Matthews (Chesterfield, Va./Clover Hill) helped the Yellow Jackets get their footing with three kills to make the deficit 6-4. Nichols continued to hold off the Jackets and used a 4-0 run to push the lead out to double-digits at 20-10. RMC won five straight to help bring the deficit back to six at 22-16, but the Bison closed the set to win 25-18 and take the opening frame.
  • Nichols started hot again in the second set, taking a 9-3 lead out of the gate to put RMC behind. The Yellow Jackets couldn't find their footing throughout the set as Nichols kept rolling, not letting the deficit get within five points, taking the second set, 25-19.
  • RMC flipped the script to begin the third frame, jumping out to a 6-2 lead. Nichols brought it within three at 10-7, but the Yellow Jackets ignited a 5-0 run to extend the advantage to 15-7. RMC continued to hold off the Bison from getting back into it, as they went on to take the fourth frame, 25-18.
  • The fourth set was tightly contested in the early stages, as the score was tied 7-7. Nichols took a 9-7 lead before RMC rallied for three straight to take the lead at 10-9. The Bison slowly built a lead and held a 19-15 advantage to have full control of the set. A later 4-1 run helped the Bison finish out the set and win 25-20 and win the match.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
  • Matthews totaled a career-high 19 kills and hit .279 with an ace and eight digs.
  • Kody Rogan (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) finished with 35 assists along with eight digs, an ace, and two block assists.
  • Phillip Van Essendelft (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) registered four block assists and two aces.
  • Brady Plucker (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) had a team-high nine digs.
  • RMC had five aces to just one for the Bison.
FOR THE RECORD 
  • Junior Ian Wagenhauser (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) broke the program's single season kills record with 325 kills, and single season points record with 395.5 points.
  • Plucker broke the program's single season digs record with 232 digs.
  • Van Essendelft finishes the season with the program's single season record for hitting percentage at .410.
  • The 22 wins are the most in program history in a single season.