Rockford Sun

The Rockford University women's volleyball team concluded its season with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss on Friday night at Beloit College. Statistically it was a very even match, with Rockford actually leading in basically every category. The Regents held advantages in kills (50-48), assists (47-45), aces (8-4), blocks (8-0) and digs (100-96). However, it was the Buccaneers who came up with points at critical junctures in the match for the 25-22, 22-25, 25-18, 20-25, 15-12 win. 

REGENT RECAP

• The Buccaneers began the match on a 9-2 run to take a quick 7-point lead. 
• Beloit's lead hovered around six points until Rockford made a comeback late in the set.
• With Beloit out in front 23-17, Rockford went on a 5-1 run to get back within two at 24-22. Alex Burton had back-to-back kills during the run. 
• Unfortunately, the Bucs scored the final point to take the opening set 25-22.
• Beloit again held a comfortable 14-9 lead midway through the second set. 
• However, the Regents came roaring back with an 11-4 run to retake the lead at 20-18. Three different Regents tallied a kill over that span, led by two from Della Crain.
• With Rockford now clinging to a 23-22 advantage, the Regents ran off the final two points, including a Della Crain kill to end the second set and knot the match at 1-1. 
• The first half of the third set belonged to Rockford. The Regents only briefly trailed in the opening moments, before scoring eight straight points to leap out to a 14-7 lead. 
• Unfortunately, Beloit promptly used a 9-1 run of its own to retake the lead at 16-15. 
• The Bucs then outscored the Regents 9-3 the rest of the way to win the third set 25-18 and grab a 2-1 lead. 
• Rockford scored the first five points of a must win fourth set to take a quick 5-0 lead. 
• However, Beloit was able to slowly chip away at the deficit, until the Bucs eventually took their first lead of the set at 13-12. 
• With the score now tied at 18-18, Rockford scored five straight points to take control. 
• Melody Moreno would eventually smash home a kill for the 25-20 win and to force a fifth and deciding set. 
• The fifth set was tied on eight different occasions, with the final time coming at 11-11. 
• Unfortunately, it was Beloit who scored four of the final five points to win the fifth set 15-12 and the match 3-2.

• Della Crain finished with a team-high 19 kills, 8 digs, 4 blocks and 3 aces. 
• Melody Moreno tallied 11 kills, a career-high 26 digs and 1 ace.
• Brynn Atwell had 24 digs and 2 assists. 
• Jessica Witkowski finished with 26 assists, 4 digs and an ace.
• Nicole Eggers had 8 kills, 5 digs, 2 blocks, 2 assists and an ace.

Original source can be found here.