Mount Olive volleyball team knocks off Chowan

MURFREESBORO – Seniors Camryn Huber and Amara Eziakonwa combined for 29 kills, as the Trojans secured a 3-1 victory (25-19, 25-22, 21-25, 25-15) at Chowan in Conference Carolinas play on Tuesday night.

With the win, the University of Mount Olive women’s volleyball team improves to 8-6 overall behind a 2-0 mark in conference action. The Trojans started a three-match road trip tonight with contests against Francis Marion and UNC Pembroke to finish the week. Meanwhile, the Hawks fall to 4-8 this season with a 1-2 record in league play.

Huber led the team with a career-high 16 kills on a .333 hitting percentage and tallied double-digit kills for the second time this season. Eziakonwa totaled 13 kills on a .370 clip and added four service aces, while sophomores Neza Pec and Ashlyn Stone posted nine and seven kills, respectively. Senior Jenna Myer guided the offense with 29 assists and tallied five digs in the win.

UMO featured three players with double-digit digs, led by sophomore Morgan Prots with a team-high 20 digs. She returned to her starting role at libero after missing the last four matches and has posted at least 20 digs five times this year. Pec recorded 17 digs and three service aces, while freshman Sam Widelski totaled a career-high 15 digs on Tuesday. The Trojans controlled the net with 10 total blocks, led by Eziakonwa and Widelski with eight and five blocks, respectively.

Mount Olive totaled 15 kills behind a .324 hitting percentage to take the opening set by 25-19 margin. The Hawks scored three-straight points to start the match before eventually stretching the lead to 10-6 over the Trojans. UMO countered by tallying five of the next seven points with kills by four different players to trim the deficit, 12-11. Chowan went on a short 3-1 run before the Trojans rallied with seven-straight points to claim a 19-15 lead. Both teams exchanged the following five points before Mount Olive used a 4-1 run to take the first set, 25-19

UMO claimed the second set 25-22 after holding the Hawks to a negative hitting percentage. Chowan raced out a 9-5 advantage before forcing Mount Olive into a timeout. The Trojans tallied five of the next seven points to close the gap to 11-10 before the Hawks extended the lead back to 15-12. UMO tied the match at 16-16 and used a 6-2 run behind a pair of kills to take a 22-18 lead. The teams traded points before Huber delivered the kill to secure the second set, 25-22

The Hawks avoided the sweep behind 10 kills and eight attacking errors by the Trojans to take the third set by a 25-21 margin. Chowan built an 13-9 advantage early after capitalizing on five attacking errors and two service errors. Mount Olive countered with three-consecutive points before eventually tying the match at 16-16. The Hawks went on a 5-1 run to reclaim the lead 21-17 before the Trojans registered three of the following four points, 22-20. Chowan went on a 3-1 run with three-straight kills to claim the third set, 25-21

The Trojans secured the victory in the fourth set after totaling 13 kills and five blocks against the Hawks. Chowan once again established an early 7-5 lead before Mount Olive countered with five-consecutive points to take a 10-7 advantage. Both teams exchanged the next four points before UMO went on a 5-1 run to stretch the lead, 16-9. The Hawks closed the deficit to 17-12, but the Trojans scored seven of the following nine points to extend the advantage to 24-14. Following a kill by Chowan, Mount Olive recorded the win after Pec posted the kill, 25-15.

The Trojans continue their three-match road trip on Friday, Sept. 23, when they travel to face Francis Marion for a league match, starting at 6 p.m.