Carly White recorded 10 of her match-high 21 kills in the fourth set, but Mount Olive's rally came up short as the Trojans fell to Belmont Abbey 26-24, 21-25, 25-13, 25-23 in Conference Carolinas women's volleyball Saturday at Kornegay Arena. Lauren Lee added 11 kills and 11 digs to go with three aces for her second double-double in as many days.

Mount Olive (6-10 overall, 3-3 Conference Carolinas) trailed 18-14 in the final set before kills on back-to-back points by Dezirae Mackey sparked a Trojan comeback. Mackey added another kill and the Trojans scored their next four points on kills by White to pull within 23-22. After a Belmont Abbey side out, a Crusader service error saved one match point for Mount Olive. But Claire Lang's attack from the right side found an opening on the middle of the Trojan court to seal the win.

In the opening set, Mount Olive jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Mackey's seven-point service run. Mackey had an ace, while Lee and White each added a kill and combined on a block during the match-opening run. Belmont Abbey (11-3, 5-1) chipped away at the lead and got as close as 11-9 after consecutive aces by Gabby Martinez. The Trojans extended the lead to 20-14 after a block by White and Danielle Plante and an ace by Lee. But another service run by Martinez helped Belmont Abbey score nine of the next 10 points and take a 23-21 lead.

The Trojans fought off two set points, but Lydia Schellenberg's kill broke a 24-24 tie and the Crusaders clinched the set on a block on the right side by Tori Jensen and Dani Fortunato.

Mount Olive took an early lead again in the second set as Lee had a pair of aces and White combined with Sarah Watkins for a pair of blocks to put the Trojans on top 9-4. Belmont Abbey tied the set with five unanswered points, highlighted by kills by Caitlin Hankins and Lydia Schellenberg. Mackey's kill broke a 10-10 and put Mount Olive ahead to stay as Charnel Austin's ace capped a 6-0 run. Belmont Abbey climbed within 23-21, but Mount Olive scored the final two points on Mackey's kill and a Crusader attack error as the Trojans evened the match at a set apiece.

Belmont Abbey controlled the third set, scoring five unanswered points to take a 6-1 lead. The margin grew to as many as eight before a pair of blocks by White pulled Mount Olive within 14-10. But a block by Hankins and Jensen triggered a run of four straight Belmont Abbey points and Claire Lang's kill gave the Crusaders their first double-digit lead at 23-12.

Mackey finished with nine kills and four blocks for the Trojans, while White added a match-high six blocks. Watkins also had four blocks. Lee was among four Trojans in double figures in digs as Nicole Karas shared match-high honors with 19 digs, while Austin had 14 digs and Nicole Sparks added 10 digs. Freshman setter Elyse Keating had a career-high 42 assists to go with three kills in her first start since an early-season injury.

Hannah Schellenberg led Belmont Abbey with 16 kills, while Hankins had 14 kills and Lydia Schellenberg added 10 kills. Hannah Schellenberg also had 19 digs, while Ana Maria Pagan added 17 digs. Fortunato and Jensen led the Crusaders at the net with five blocks apiece. Martinez had a match-high four aces to go with 29 assists, while Abby Stine added 19 assists.

Saturday's contest was part of Cancer Awareness Day on the MOC campus. Throughout the month of October, the Trojan athletics department is participating in the Cures for the Colors campaign with Southeastern Cancer Care, an organization in Goldsboro that provides support, material and services for cancer patients in Eastern North Carolina. The Trojan women's volleyball team wore orange Saturday to represent leukemia awareness.

Mount Olive and Belmont Abbey will face each other again Tuesday at Belmont, N.C., in Conference Carolinas action. Match time is 7 p.m.