Life too much for Rio men

Rio Grande Sports Information
     MARIETTA, Ga. - After rallying to even its match with Life University at one set each, the University of Rio Grande men's volleyball team saw its plan of attack go sideways.
     The RedStorm had nearly three times as many attack errors as it had kills over the final two sets in a 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 25-16) loss to the Running Eagles, Friday night, in non-conference play at the Eagles' Nest.
     The match was the season opener for Life.
     Rio Grande dropped to 1-1 with the loss.
     The RedStorm blew a 23-16 lead in the opening set as the hosts scored the final nine winners to rally for an early match lead, but pulled away late in set two to even the match.
     But Rio had 17 attack errors and just six kills over the next two sets allowing the Eagles to take control.
     Five of the errors came in succession during a 7-0 Life run in set three, stretching a 15-13 advantage to 22-13.
     Set four was tied at 12-all before the hosts sealed the match with 13 of the final 17 points - four of which were the result of RedStorm errors.
     Ryan Ollie had a match-high 10 kills for the Eagles, who finished with a .239 attack percentage (36 kills, 19 errors, 71 swings).
     Nikolas Carrascal had 31 assists in the winning effort, while Diego Martinez had five digs and Diego Perez had five service aces.
     Ollie and David Barcan had two solo blocks and one block assist each for Life.
     Junior Caden Donaldson (Jackson, OH) had nine kills in a losing cause for Rio Grande, while freshman Mitch Bartecki (New Lenox, IL) had 17 assists and sophomore Bobby Meifert (Bolingbrook, IL) tallied five digs.
     Sophomore Tyler Miller-Bross (Loveland, OH) had three service aces for the RedStorm and sophomore Ethan Johnson (Hamilton, OH) had two solo blocks and a block assist.
     Rio Grande finished with 22 kills and 25 errors over 70 swings for a -.043 attack percentage.
     The RedStorm concludes its southern road swing on Saturday at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Ga. against the host Eagles and Morehouse College.