PEMBROKE, N.C. (Oct. 4) – In a highly competitive match, the University of Mount Olive volleyball program suffered a 3-1 loss at UNC Pembroke on Wednesday night in Conference Carolinas play.

With the loss, the Trojans have their six-game winning streak snapped and fall to 11-6 overall with a 5-1 mark in league action. UNCP has won five of the last six meetings in the series and moves into second place in the East Division. Meanwhile, the Braves improve to 11-7 this season behind a 6-2 mark in conference play.

Junior Ashlyn Stone led Mount Olive with a season-high 17 kills while also contributing 12 digs. Freshman Kaitlyn Landis reached double-figures with 11 kills and tallied three blocks. Junior Karoline Cox produced six kills, two service aces, and three blocks in the loss on Wednesday. Freshman Lyndsay Reid registered her seventh assist/dig double-double of the season with 26 assists and 12 digs. Senior Jenna Myer added 12 assists and nine digs on the defensive end for the Trojans.

Senior Morgan Prots led the defense with 18 digs while totaling eight assists and two service aces. Sophomore Caroline Sheaffer registered double-digit digs (15), while Reid and Stone accounted for 12 digs.

UNC Pembroke built an early 11 -5 advantage in the opening set after scoring four straight points before the Trojans answered with back-to-back points to cut the deficit to 11-7. The Braves scored four of the following six points to maintain the lead, but UMO closed the gap to 16-13 after a kill by Stone. UNCP increased the lead to 19-14 forcing a UMO timeout, but Mount Olive responded to trim the deficit to 22-17. Both sides exchanged the final five points with the Braves claiming the first set by a 25-19 margin.

Following a 5-5 tie to begin the second set, the Trojans capitalized on three errors by UNCP to take the lead, 8-5. Mount Olive continued to hold a 13-10 advantage before the Braves scored consecutive points to cut the deficit to 13-12. UMO eventually extended the lead to 21-16 behind four unanswered points, including a pair of aces from Prots. UNC Pembroke rallied to tie the contest at 23-23 late, but the Trojans tallied back-to-back points to win, 25-23.

In the third set, UNCP quickly established a 10-6 lead before Mount Olive answered with four of the following five points to trim the deficit to 11-10. With the match tied at 16-16, UMO took the lead on a kill by Cox before Sheaffer delivered an ace, 18-16. The Braves rallied to reclaim the lead 22-21 following a 5-1 run, but the Trojans tied the contest on a kill by Stone, 22-22. UNCP scored three of the final four points to win by a 25-23 margin.

The fourth set featured 11 ties and six lead changes, as Mount Olive raced out to a 7-4 advantage with a pair of kills by Stone. The Braves mounted a 5-1 rally to take the lead 9-8 before the Trojans scored five of six points to reclaim a 13-10 advantage. After the contest was tied twice at the midway point, UNC Pembroke established a 21-18 lead. UMO countered with a 6-2 run to reach set point 24-23 before UNCP tied the contest at 25-25. The Braves secured the win with consecutive points to earn the win, 27-25.

The Trojans return to Kornegay Arena on Friday, Oct. 6, to face Emmanuel in Conference Carolinas action, starting at 6 p.m.