BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 18) – Senior libero Trevor Treser set a new NCAA record on Tuesday after producing 32 digs in a five-set match, as the Trojans fell short in a 3-2 loss at King in the quarterfinals of the Conference Carolinas Championship.

With the loss, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team concludes the season with an 11-17 overall record under first-year head coach Omar Sanchez. The Trojans finished league play strong after winning five of the seven matches. Meanwhile, King improves to 14-15 this year and advances to face No. 2 Erskine in the semifinals on Friday, April 21st, at approximately 7:30 p.m.

Treser led the defensive effort with an NCAA record 32 digs in a five-set match with the previous mark being set last season by Nicola Iannelli of St. Francis Brooklyn on Mar. 26, 2022, with 31 digs. His performance tonight also set a new program record in a single match while becoming just the second player in school history to eclipse 700 career digs. Treser finishes second all-time at UMO in career (703) and single-season (298) digs.

Sophomore Tate Sandvig registered a team-leading 18 kills with seven digs, while junior Hayden Frear finished with 15 kills, six blocks (two solo), and seven digs in the five-set thriller. Junior Justin Gregory also reached double-digit kills with 14, adding two service aces, two blocks, and five digs. Freshman Jackson Lahey directed the offense with his seventh assist/dig double-double of the season after collecting 50 assists and 10 digs in the loss on Tuesday.

The Trojans also tallied 11 total blocks with Frear pacing the team with six while senior Pedro Gonzalez and sophomore Holden Maryott recorded four, respectively.

In the first set, the Trojans built a 12-8 advantage following four unanswered points before King scored two of the next three points to close the gap to 13-10. Mount Olive responded with an 8-0 run, including kills from three different players to hold a 21-10 lead. The Tornado rallied to cut the deficit to 23-15, but UMO sealed the set with a kill from Gregory and a service ace by Frear, 25-15.

King began the second by scoring six of the initial seven points and remained in the lead deep into the set. The Tornado was ahead by an 18-13 margin before the Trojans cut the deficit to 23-19 before flipping the script with six consecutive points to steal the second set, 25-23.

After exchanging points early in the third, King found momentum and scored five of the following seven points to take a 12-9 advantage. UMO continued to close the gap late in the set and even went on a short 4-1 run to trail 23-21. The Tornado maintained the lead and took the third set by a 25-22 margin.

Following a quick start from King in the fourth set, the Trojans answered back with an 8-2 run to take a 9-7 advantage. The Tornado countered by tallying six of the next nine points to regain the lead 13-12 before later in the set, UMO reclaimed the edge with three-straight points, 16-14. The lead continued to change sides late before a 6-1 run by King claimed the fourth set, 25-21.

In the decisive fifth set, the Tornado stormed ahead with a 9-5 advantage before Mount Olive scored four of the following five points to close the gap to 10-9. Both teams traded the final nine points of the match, as King completed the comeback, 15-13.