MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 17) – Despite three players with double-digit kills, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team fell by a 3-1 margin against Emmanuel in Conference Carolinas play at Kornegay Arena on Friday night.

With the loss, the Trojans fall to 4-7 this season behind a 0-3 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Lions improve to 5-6 overall with a 1-2 record in conference play after claiming their fourth victory in the previous six games.

Junior Justin Gregory led the team with 13 kills and five digs, while senior Pedro Gonzalez finished with 11 kills on a .529 hitting percentage against the Lions. Sophomore Tate Sandvig registered 10 kills on a .308 clip with a pair of service aces and six digs, while teammate Holden Maryott totaled nine kills on a .500 hitting percentage with four digs. Freshman Jackson Lahey led the offense with an assist/dig double-double behind 44 assists, 10 digs, and two aces.

At the net, the Trojans totaled nine blocks with Gonzalez and junior Hayden Frear pacing the team with four blocks, while Gregory finished with three in the loss.

Emmanuel established a 12-8 advantage in the opening set behind a 5-2 run, which included a trio of kills. Both teams exchanged the following nine points before the Lions stretched the lead to 17-12 with consecutive points. The Trojans answered with kills from Gonzalez and Frear to close the gap before the sides traded the next eight points. The Lions finished with four-straight points to secure the first set by a 25-18 margin.

The Lions raced out to an early 7-4 lead in the second set before Mount Olive trimmed the deficit to 10-9 after capitalizing on four errors. Emmanuel maintained the lead and built the advantage to 20-15 in the final stretch of the set, but the Trojans countered with consecutive points, including an ace by Sandvig. The Lions managed the lead to complete the set with a 25-21 win.

Mount Olive avoided the sweep after tallying 15 kills in the third set on a .250 hitting percentage. Emmanuel grabbed a 5-0 lead to begin the set before UMO responded with six unanswered points to take a 6-5 advantage. The Lions knotted the match at 6-6 following a kill before the set featured seven more ties down the stretch. With the score at 21-21 late in the third, Mount Olive closed out with a 4-1 run to claim the win, 25-22.

In the fourth, the Trojans had an early 5-3 advantage with a pair of kills by Sandvig while continuing to hold the lead at 12-9 with kills from four players. Emmanuel countered with a 9-2 rally to take the advantage at 18-14 before extending the lead to 23-16. Mount Olive countered by scoring three of the next four points, but the Lions sealed the match on a kill, 25-19.

The Trojans return to the court, tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 18, when they host Erskine in league play at Kornegay Arena, starting at 2 p.m.