MOUNT OLIVE (Sept. 17) – After totaling 45 kills on a .320 hitting percentage, the University of Mount Olive volleyball team claimed a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-17, 25-15) over Converse on Saturday evening at Kornegay Arena in Conference Carolinas play.

With the win, the Trojans improve to 7-6 this season with a 1-0 mark in league play. Mount Olive claims a victory in its conference-opener for the first time since the 2017 campaign. Meanwhile, the Valkyries drop to 5-6 overall behind a 2-1 mark in conference action.

Freshman Sam Widelski led the UMO offense with a game-high 11 kills and sophomore Ashlyn Stone totaled 10 kills on a staggering .588 clip. Senior Camryn Huber added seven kills on a .286 hitting percentage, while senior Amara Eziakonwa and sophomore Neza Pec each totaled six kills in the win. Seniors Jenna Myer and Madison Goodman directed the offense with 20 and 14 assists, respectively.

Freshman Caroline Sheaffer led the defensive effort with a career-high 22 digs against Converse, while Widelski registered eight digs. Mount Olive posted double-digit service aces for a fourth-straight match and currently leads the conference with 124 aces this year. The Trojans tallied 11 on Saturday against the Valkyries led by Goodman with four aces and followed closely by Eziakonwa with three in the match.

Mount Olive registered 17 kills and five service aces to claim the first set by a 25-13 margin. The Trojans claimed an early 8-3 advantage following three-consecutive service aces from Eziakonwa. Converse countered the three-straight points to cut into the deficit before a 7-2 run by UMO stretched the lead to 15-9. Following a service error, Mount Olive went on a 5-0 run behind a pair of kills from Widelski before both teams exchanged the following five points, 22-13. The Trojans closed out the first set with three-consecutive kills by three different players, 25-13.

UMO recorded 12 kills and benefited from eight attacking errors by the Valkyries to take the second set, 25-17. The teams were tied at 11-11 following a four-point rally by Converse before the Trojans used a 5-0 run to take a 16-11 advantage with two kills recorded by Huber and Widelski. The Valkyries answered with four-consecutive points to trim the deficit, but a 6-0 run by Mount Olive quickly restored a comfortable lead, 22-15. After a pair of errors, the Trojans scored three-straight points and finished the set with an ace from Widelski, 25-17.

The Trojans completed the sweep in the third set behind 16 kills on a .281 hitting percentage. UMO opened with a 9-0 run that included five kills and two service aces. The Valkyries countered with three-consecutive points before both teams traded the next 10 points, 14-8. Mount Olive reestablished its substantial advantage with a 6-0 run to take a 20-8 lead before Converse posted five of the following six points, 21-13. After exchanging the next four points, the Trojans collected the win with back-to-back points, 25-15.

The Trojans return to play on Tuesday, Sept. 20, when they travel to face Chowan in conference play at 6 p.m.