UMO suffers loss versus Lincoln Memorial

MOUNT OLIVE – Despite a season-high 15 total blocks at the net, the University of Mount Olive men’s volleyball team fell by a 3-1 margin on April 8 against Lincoln Memorial in non-conference play. Lincoln Memorial won by scores of 25-27, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23.

With the loss, the Trojans drop the season series and fell to 9-16 this year with a 3-7 mark on their home court. Meanwhile, the Railsplitters improved to 19-4 overall with a 7-1 record on the road.

Junior Justin Gregory led the offensive effort with 13 kills while adding eight digs, three blocks and a service ace. Fellow junior Hayden Frear also registered double-digit kills with 11 and added six digs with three blocks. Sophomore Tate Sandvig finished with eight kills, five digs and four blocks in four sets played. Freshman Jackson Lahey produced 40 assists, three blocks, six digs and a service ace.

Senior libero Trevor Treser tallied a season-high 18 digs and made an incredible impact on the defensive side of the court. At the net, freshman Constantinos Iacovou led the team with six blocks while five other players registered at least three blocks on Friday.

In the first set, the Trojans leaped in front by a 10-4 margin, which included a 7-2 run with three kills from Gregory. Lincoln Memorial rallied back with five unanswered points before both teams scored three straight points, 13-12. UMO totaled five of the following seven points before eventually stretching the advantage to 22-17. The Railsplitters countered with a 7-1 rally to reach set point at 24-23 before Mount Olive sealed the set with a 4-1 run, 27-25.

Lincoln Memorial established an early lead in the second set, 13-10, before back-to-back kills and a service ace by UMO tied the contest, 13-13. The Railsplitters then moved out to a 22-17 edge. The Trojans managed to cut the deficit to 24-22, but LMU claimed the set with a kill, 25-22.

Mount Olive built an early 7-3 lead in the third behind a pair of kills by Sandvig before Lincoln Memorial tied the game with four consecutive points, 7-7. The contest would be tied six more times down the stretch before the Railsplitters managed to take a slight 20-17 advantage. The Trojans closed the gap to 20-19 before LMU scored five of the final eight points to take the set, 25-22.

The fourth set remained close through the opening points before Lincoln Memorial mounted a 4-1 run to pull ahead by a 14-10 margin. The Trojans managed to trim the deficit to two points several times, but LMU was able to retain the lead at 23-18 late in the set. UMO rattled off a four-point rally to trail 23-22 following kills from three different players. The Railsplitters secured the win after scoring two of the last three points, 25-23.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics