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Bryce Williams celebrates a block against Adrian Feb. 9, 2024
Kodiak Creative
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Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 4-0,0-0 CCIW
0
Rockford Rock 0-1,0-0 NACC
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
4-0,0-0 CCIW
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Final
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Rockford Rock
0-1,0-0 NACC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 25 25 25 (3)
Rockford Rock 14 18 18 (0)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

Men’s Volleyball Sweeps Rockford to Achieve Program-Best Start

Titans win first roadtrip of season, remain undefeated at 4-0

ROCKFORD, Ill. - Hitting the road for the first time this season, the Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team swept Rockford University Tuesday night, Jan. 21. With the win, IWU moves to 4-0 on the season, marking the best start in the program's five-year existence. The Titans needed just 75 minutes to spoil the Regent's (0-1) season opener, taking the sets with scores of 25-14, 25-18, 25-18. 

A balanced showing helped IWU achieve statistical advantages in kills, recording 30 on a .182 attack percentage, while limiting Rockford to 17 kills, and a negative, -.018, clip. The Titans also held the edge in digs (33-27), assists (27-16), and aces (12-5), while RU had the slim lead in blocks, 6-5. 

Ten Titans recorded a kill in the contest, led by freshman Gavin Rohlwing's (Tower Lake, Ill.-Barrington) six kills on an immaculate .750 attack percentage, committing no errors on eight swings. Sophomore Bryce Williams (Chicago, Ill.-Whitney M. Young) was second with five kills, followed by four from senior Ryan Myers (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.-Stevenson). Rohlwing and sophomore Brenden Reutter (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) each posted a career-high four aces to lead the team, while freshman Cael Whitchurch (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) notched a personal-best two aces. 

Senior Vince DiCosola (Aurora, Ill.-Oswego East) posted a match-high 12 assists, followed by nine from Reutter, and three from Whitchurch. 

Defensively, junior Jace Milka (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield East) led the team with seven digs. Myers and Williams closely trailed with six and five, respectively. At the net, Rohlwing posted a team-leading three blocks, while Williams, Reutter, and freshman Lane Sunley (Flossmoor, Ill.-Homewood Flossmoor) each recorded one rejection. 

The opening set remained close nearing the halfway mark, as Myers buried a set from DiCosola to put the Titans out in front, 13-12, sparking an 8-1 run. The next point saw a diving dig from Williams that Reutter sent over on the next touch to snag a quick kill, pushing the lead to two, but RU got the sideout on the next point. 

IWU took command of the set from there on, as a Regents service error put Myers to the service line. The senior responded with an ace, which was followed by another RU miscue, and Rohlwing solo stuffed an attack to give IWU an 18-13 lead, forcing the home team to call a timeout. 

The break did little to stop the Titans, as Whitchurch found Rohlwing for a kill before RU could get a sideout. It would be the last point for the Regents in the set, as the Green and White took the next six points. Following another Rockford service error, Rohlwing registered three aces in the next five points, with a solo block from Sunley and a Whitchurch kill sandwiched in between to give the Titans the first set, 25-14.

Similar to the first, the Regents hung close with the Titans until midway through. Following a 6-1 run for the visitors, putting IWU ahead 14-7, Rockford responded with a run of its own to bring the set back within one, 14-13, causing head coach Brandon Mueller to use a timeout. The timeout served its purpose, as a Regents service error began a six-point run for Illinois Wesleyan. Williams followed with a kill, and Reutter recorded back-to-back aces after an RU attack error. Williams closed the run with another kill, putting IWU ahead, 20-13.

DiCosola fed freshman Trey Marek (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and Rohlwing for back-to-back kills, pushing the score to 23-17. After a Regents attack error set up set point, Whitchurch notched an ace to give the Green and White the second set, 25-18.

All tied at 13 in the third set, IWU once again found its groove in the latter half, taking the next five points. After three straight RU miscues, sophomore Patrick Dasbach (Lombard, Ill.-Willowbrook) laced a kill off a set from Reutter, and Reutter followed with an ace to give the Green and White an 19-13 edge, forcing the home team to call timeout.

Marek buried a ball from DiCosola to put the Titans within reach, and freshman Charlie Bialek (Bolingbrook, Ill.-Bolingbrook) followed with an ace to extend the lead to 21-15. Reutter and Rohlwing followed a service error with a block,upping to score to 23-16, and a kill from Rohlwing set up match point two plays later. After an IWU service error extended the match, Whitchurch ended the contest with a kill, as the Titans took the final set, 25-18.

Illinois Wesleyan continues its stretch on the road, as the Green and White travel to Aurora University Thursday night, Jan. 23. The Titans will face the Spartans at 7 p.m. inside Thornton Gymnasium.
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