MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 23) – After producing a season-high .576 hitting percentage in their home opener, the Trojans rolled past Erskine with a 3-0 sweep at Kornegay Arena on Friday night in Conference Carolinas action.
With the win, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball program improves to 9-3 this season with a 3-2 mark in league play. The Trojans have won nine of the previous 10 meetings in the series and currently sit third in the conference standings. Meanwhile, Erskine drops to 7-5 overall behind a 3-2 record in league action.
Sophomore
Kory Grant led the Trojans with 12 kills on an impressive .588 clip with two blocks and four digs. Senior
Chance Gallardo also reached double-figures with 11 kills on a .625 hitting percentage while adding two aces, two blocks, and four digs. Fellow senior
Hayden Frear finished with eight kills on a .429 clip with four blocks and two digs. Sophomore
Jackson Lahey guided the offense with 33 assists, three service aces, three blocks, and four digs.
At the net, Frear, junior
Holden Maryott, and sophomore
Constantinos Iacovou each tallied four blocks.
In the opening set, the Trojans established an early 9-3 advantage behind kills from three different players before scoring four of the following six points to take a 13-5 edge. The Flying Fleet countered with three unanswered points before the sides traded the next four points. Mount Olive stretched the lead to 19-10 after a pair of kills and blocks before eventually sealing a 25-16 win.
UMO quickly established a 5-1 lead in the second before the teams exchanged several points in the opening portion of the set. The Trojans mounted a 6-1 run to extend the lead to 15-8 and continued to hold a significant advantage late in the set. Leading 23-16, Mount Olive claimed the second set after a kill from Frear and an Erskine attacking error.
The Flying Fleet built an early 9-7 edge in the third set before the Trojans countered with a short 5-1 run to take a 12-10 advantage. Erskine tied the contest three times during the midway points of the set before UMO closed out the sweep with an 8-1 run to take the third, 25-18.
The Trojans return to the court on Saturday, Feb. 24, when they host Emmanuel in Conference Carolinas play, starting at 2 p.m.
