BANNER ELK, N.C. (March 31) – After registering 48 kills on a .424 hitting percentage, the Trojans secured a 3-0 sweep at Lees-McRae on Friday night in Conference Carolinas play.  

With the win, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team improves to 9-13 this season with a 5-7 mark in league action. The Trojans have won four of their last five matches with two more conference games scheduled on the road. Meanwhile, Lees-McRae falls to 9-13 overall with a 5-6 record in league play.

Sophomore Tate Sandvig totaled a game-high 14 kills on a .385 clip with four blocks and four digs. Senior Pedro Gonzalez also reached double-figures with 11 kills on an impressive .917 hitting percentage, while junior Hayden Frear and freshman Constantinos Iacovou posted eight and seven kills, respectively. Freshman Jackson Lahey guided the offense with 40 assists with two aces and two digs.

Senior Trevor Treser led the defensive effort with six digs, while Gonzalez controlled the net with eight blocks.

In the first set, the Trojans were able to establish a 10-6 advantage following a kill by Iacovou. The Bobcats received a point on an attacking error before UMO scored four unanswered points to build a 14-7 lead. Lees-McRae managed to cut the deficit to 17-15, but Mount Olive tallied three of the following four points to stretch the lead to 20-16. The Bobcats once again closed the gap to 21-19 before the Trojans mounted a 4-1 run to win the set, 25-20.

Mount Olive scored five straight to begin the second set before holding a 15-11 advantage midway through the set. Lees-McRae managed to trim the deficit by scoring four of the next five to trail by a 16-15 margin. The Bobcats eventually took the lead at 20-18 after producing four consecutive points. UMO successfully flipped the script and recorded a 7-3 rally with a trio of kills by Sandvig to take the set, 25-22.

In the third, the Trojans quickly grabbed an 8-1 lead as Gonzalez contributed three blocks at the net. Lees-McRae countered with a 9-3 rally to cut the deficit to 11-10 before the sides exchanged points late into the set. The Bobcats took the lead after registering three straight points to hold a 19-18 edge before UMO battled off match points three times. With the match tied at 27-27, the Trojans delivered a kill by Frear and a service ace from Lahey to seal the win, 29-27.

Mount Olive returns tomorrow, Saturday, April 1, when they travel to face King in Conference Carolinas play at 2 p.m.