Mount Olive Now

English Español
March 29, 2024 8:51 am

UMO suffers loss to Emmanuel

MOUNT OLIVE – Despite three players with double-digit kills, the University of Mount Olive men’s volleyball team fell by a 3-1 margin against Emmanuel in Conference Carolinas play at Kornegay Arena on Feb. 17 by scores of 25-18, 25-21, 22-25, 25-19.

With the loss, the Trojans fell to 4-7 this season with an 0-3 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Lions improved to 5-6 overall with a 1-2 record in conference play after claiming their fourth victory in the previous six games.

Junior Justin Gregory led the team with 13 kills and five digs, while senior Pedro Gonzalez finished with 11 kills. Sophomore Tate Sandvig registered 10 kills with a pair of service aces and six digs, while teammate Holden Maryott totaled nine kills with four digs. Freshman Jackson Lahey led the offense with an assist/dig double-double behind 44 assists, 10 digs and two aces.

At the net, the Trojans Gonzalez and junior Hayden Frear paced the team with four blocks, while Gregory finished with three.

Emmanuel established a 12-8 advantage in the opening set. The Lions then stretched the lead to 17-12 with consecutive points. The Trojans answered with kills from Gonzalez and Frear to close the gap before the sides traded the next eight points. The Lions finished with four straight points to secure the first set by a 25-18 margin.

The Lions raced out to an early 7-4 lead in the second set before Mount Olive trimmed the deficit to 10-9 after capitalizing on four errors. Emmanuel maintained the lead and built the advantage to 20-15 in the final stretch of the set, but the Trojans countered with consecutive points, including an ace by Sandvig. The Lions managed to complete the set with a 25-21 win.

Mount Olive avoided the sweep after tallying 15 kills in the third set. Emmanuel grabbed a 5-0 lead to begin the set before UMO responded with six unanswered points to take a 6-5 advantage. The Lions knotted the match at 6-6 following a kill before the set featured seven more ties down the stretch. With the score at 21 late in the third, Mount Olive closed out with a 4-1 run to claim the set, 25-22.

In the fourth, the Trojans had an early 5-3 advantage with a pair of kills by Sandvig while continuing to hold the lead at 12-9 with kills from four players. Emmanuel countered with a 9-2 rally to take the advantage at 18-14 before extending the lead to 23-16. Mount Olive countered by scoring three of the next four points, but the Lions sealed the match on a kill.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics