MOUNT OLIVE (Nov. 4) – In a five-set thriller on Saturday night, the University of Mount Olive women's volleyball program featured three players with double-digit kills in a 3-2 victory over Francis Marion in Conference Carolinas play at Kornegay Arena.

With the win, the Trojans extend their winning streak to four straight and improve to 20-9 overall behind a 14-2 mark in conference action. Mount Olive achieves back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2004-05 and remains the No. 1 team in the league KPI standings entering the final regular season match. Meanwhile, the Patriots fall to 14-15 this season with a 10-6 mark in league action.

Junior Ashlyn Stone produced a game-high 18 kills on a staggering .366 hitting percentage on Saturday. Following tonight's performance, Stone eclipsed 300 kills in a single season for the first time in her career. Freshman Kaitlyn Landis tallied 12 kills, three blocks, and four digs in the match, while junior Karoline Cox finished with 10 kills on a .348 clip with two aces, two blocks, and five digs. Fellow junior Callie Mullins also delivered nine kills and totaled five digs against the Patriots. Senior Jenna Myer registered her second assist/dig double-double of the season with 24 assists and 10 digs. Freshman Lyndsay Reid contributed 22 assists and five digs in the win.

Senior libero Morgan Prots directed the defensive effort with 20 digs while adding four assists and two aces. Senior Neza Pec reached double figures with 16 digs and added four kills. Sophomore Kate Carter and Landis controlled the net with three blocks.

In the fifth set, the Patriots offense raced ahead by a 7-2 margin before UMO countered with back-to-back kills. Francis Marion stretched the lead to 10-5, but the Trojans answered with four consecutive points to cut the deficit to 10-9. The Patriots scored three of the next four points to hold a 13-10 advantage before Mount Olive tallied five unanswered points, including a pair of kills by Stone, to seal the win, 15-13.

The Trojans opened the first set with a 9-2 advantage before FMU rallied to trim the deficit to 11-6. Mount Olive scored four of the following five points to take a 15-7 lead before the sides exchanged the next eight points. Francis Marion mounted a 7-3 rally to close the gap to 22-18, but UMO countered with consecutive points. The Patriots made one last push with third straight points before a kill by Stone secured the set, 25-21.

In the second set, the Trojans established another 9-2 lead with four kills from Stone. Francis Marion slowly chipped the lead down to 14-8 before tallying eight unanswered points to take a 16-14 advantage. A servicing error briefly halted the run, but FMU continued to build the lead to 23-17 late in the set. Mount Olive rallied back with four of the next five points, including consecutive kills from Cox, before the Patriots won the set, 25-21.

The Trojans produced another early lead in the third after holding a 7-2 lead, but Francis Marion responded with a short 4-1 rally, 8-6. UMO mounted a 9-3 run to extend the lead to 17-9 before the Patriots countered with three straight points. Mount Olive scored eight of the final 10 points behind a pair of kills by Landis to take the set, 25-14.

In the fourth set, Francis Marion went a pair of 4-0 runs to establish an 8-5 lead before an 8-1 rally by the Trojans, including three aces from sophomore Caroline Sheaffer, flipped the score to 13-9. FMU founded its offensive rhythm and reclaimed the lead 19-16, but Mount Olive answered back with consecutive points. The Patriots produced a 6-2 run to close out the set, 25-20.

The Trojans concluded the regular season on Monday, Nov. 6, when they host UNC Pembroke in divisional play, starting at 6 p.m.