Chicago, Ill. — Illinois Tech men's volleyball, coming off a tough 5-set loss Tuesday night at Lakeland, secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Rockford on Wednesday night at Keating Sports Center. Illinois Tech posted a .444 hitting percentage, highlighted by a dominant second set with 18 kills and just 2 errors on 25 attempts.
Illinois Tech has a record of 4-10 overall and 3-2 in the NACC. Rockford holds a record of 1-15 overall and 0-5 in NACC play.
How It Happened
Illinois Tech began the opening set with a strong 6-0 run, capitalizing on the Regents' errors, including a service error by Tsubasa Namai and multiple attack errors.
Samuel Goh's effective serve further extended the lead with an ace and forced errors from the opposition.
Kyle Boger and
Maximo Dowling contributed crucial kills to maintain momentum, leading to a 13-1 advantage. Despite a mid-set rally from the Regents, which narrowed the gap with a service ace and several kills, Illinois Tech regained control.
Aaron Hanny sealed the set with consecutive kills, concluding the opener with a decisive 25-14 victory.
Illinois Tech gained momentum in the second set with a series of effective plays that helped secure a 25-17 victory over the Regents. Boger contributed significantly, tallying kills throughout the set, including the decisive final point. Hanny also played a key role, adding several impactful kills and a service ace that widened the lead. Despite the Regents' efforts, including a service ace by Namai and multiple kills from Joseis Dixon, Illinois Tech maintained its advantage. Service errors by both teams punctuated the set, but Illinois Tech's consistent offensive execution ultimately led to their set win.
In a back-and-forth start to the third set, Illinois Tech and the Regents traded points, with
Bryan Evans contributing multiple kills early on. The momentum shifted when Illinois Tech went on a scoring run, highlighted by Boger's three consecutive points, including two kills and a block, pushing the score to 22-17 in favor of Illinois Tech. Despite service errors from both teams, Illinois Tech maintained its lead. The final point was won when Josh Bowling's attack error, following a set from Namai, secured a 25-19 set victory for Illinois Tech.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Maximo Dowling
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- 10 kills (1 error, 16 attempts, .563 hitting percentage)
- 7 digs
- 1 service ace
- 11.5 points
Kyle Boger
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- 11 kills (2 errors, 19 attempts, .474 hitting percentage)
- 2 block assists
- 12 points
Aaron Hanny
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- 9 kills (1 error, 18 attempts, .444 hitting percentage)
- 2 assists
- 1 service ace
- 10.5 points
Samuel Goh
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- 19 assists
- 11 digs
- 2 service aces
Bryan Evans
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- 9 kills (1 error, 14 attempts, .571 hitting percentage)
- 2 digs
- 9 points
Rockford Top Performers
Joseis Dixon
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- 5 kills
- 6 digs
- 1 service ace
Tsubasa Namai
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- 17 assists
- 3 digs
- 1 service ace
Zachary Lobue
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- 4 kills
- 0.5 attack percentage
- 1 block assist
Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech is now 6-0 lifetime against Rockford.
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Aaron Hanny - Recorded a season-high 9 kills.
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Kyle Boger - Achieved a career-high of 11 kills.
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Zachary Baus - Achieved 10 digs, well above their season average of 4.85.
Up Next
Looking ahead, the Scarlet Hawks will face off against the 4-0 Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday, March 7. The match is set to begin at 11 a.m. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Illinois Tech will be traveling for this encounter, aiming to secure a conference victory on the road.
