Trojans edge UNC-Pembroke in five-set thriller

MOUNT OLIVE – After a season-high 65 kills behind four players in double figures, the Trojans secured a 3-2 victory in a five-set thriller over UNC Pembroke Oct. 15 in Conference Carolinas play at Kornegay Arena. Mount Olive won by scores of 25-17, 25-21, 20-25, 25-27, 15-13.

With the win, the University of Mount Olive women’s volleyball team improved to 14-8 overall behind a 7-2 mark in conference action. UMO also holds an undefeated record at home this season at 5-0 and remains in second place in the east division standings. Meanwhile, the Braves had their 11 game-winning streak snapped and fell to 15-11 this season with a 12-2 record in league play.

Junior Alesia paced the team with a season-high 16 kills, while sophomore Ashlyn Stone added 15 kills. Senior Amara Eziakonwa finished with 13 kills, her 13th match reaching double-digit kills. Sophomore Neza Pec posted her third kill/dig double-double of the season behind 11 kills and a season-high 25 digs. Fellow sophomore Tarah Guntow had 28 assists and senior Madison Goodman had 24.

The Trojans featured four players with double-digit digs, led by sophomore Morgan Prots with a season-high 32. Pec finished close behind with 25 digs, while Guntow and freshman Caroline Sheaffer each reached double-figures. UMO tallied 12 service aces in the match with Pec and Sheaffer both totaling three. Eziakonwa led the defensive effort the net with four blocks, while senior Alyssa Jackson added three.

The fifth set was tied at 5-5 before the Trojans rallied off three straight points to take an 8-5 lead. Following a UNCP kill, Mount Olive registered five consecutive points to extend the lead to 13-6. The Braves countered with a 6-1 run to close the gap to 14-12, but Stone delivered the game-winning kill to secure the win, 15-13.

Mount Olive claimed the first set by a 25-17 margin after totaling a match-high 16 kills. The Braves registered an early 13-10 lead before the Trojans rallied off seven straight points to take a 17-13 advantage. UNCP countered by scoring three of the following four points before UMO answered with four consecutive points to extend the lead to 22-16. Following a kill by the Braves, Mount Olive used a 3-0 run with kills from Stone and Jackson to win the opening set, 25-17.

The Trojans won the second set following six ties and four lead changes. UMO established a 10-5 advantage before Pembroke closed the gap with four-straight points to cut the advantage to 10-9. Mount Olive countered with three consecutive points before the Braves went on a 6-1 run to claim their first lead in the second set, 15-14. The teams exchanged the following eight points before the Trojans scored five straight to take a commanding 23-19 advantage. Eziakonwa would finish the second set with a pair of kills for the 25-21 win.

UNC Pembroke avoided the sweep after taking the third set behind 13 kills. The Braves raced out to a 14-9 lead before scoring five of the following eight points to extend the advantage to 19-12. UMO trimmed the deficit to 19-17 after recording five consecutive points before UNCP used a 6-3 run to close the third set 25-20.

In the fourth set, the Braves knotted the match at 2-2 following another successful attacking set with 14 kills. UNC Pembroke established an 11-8 advantage before the teams traded the next four points. The Trojans cut the deficit to 14-13 before an 8-4 run by the Braves stretched the lead to 22-17. Mount Olive rallied all the way back by scoring seven of the following nine points to tie the set at 24. UNCP would answer by tallying three of the final four points to send the match to a fifth set.