HARROGATE, Tenn. (March 9) – The Trojans featured three players with double-digit kills in a 3-1 victory at Lincoln Memorial on Saturday afternoon in non-conference action.
With the win, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team secures its fifth consecutive win and improves to 13-3 overall this season. The Trojans earned their first victory over the Railsplitters since 2019. Meanwhile, Lincoln Memorial falls to 11-5 this year and suffers its first loss at home.
Sophomore
Kory Grant tied a game-high with 16 kills on a .333 hitting percentage while adding five digs, two assists, and one block. Senior
Hayden Frear reached double-figures with 15 kills on a .314 clip with seven digs and three blocks. Fellow senior
Justin Gregory finished with 13 kills, four blocks, and three digs over four sets played. Sophomore
Jackson Lahey directed the offense with an assist/dig double-double after recording 40 assists and 10 digs while tallying four aces.
On the defensive side, sophomore
Mert Asma registered a game-high 11 digs, while sophomore
Constantinos Iacovou controlled the net with six blocks.
In the first set, LMU established a quick 6-3 edge before scoring six of the following seven points to take a 9-7 lead behind kills from three different players. The Railsplitters rallied to regain a 14-12 advantage, but the Trojans countered with four unanswered points, including three straight kills to hold a 16-14 lead. Lincoln Memorial battled back to take a 19-18 edge before Mount Olive mounted a 6-1 run, 24-20. LMU scored back-to-back points before a kill by junior
Holden Maryott secured the set, 25-22.
Lincoln Memorial raced ahead by a 13-8 margin to begin the second set before the teams exchanged the next seven points. With UMO trailing 19-15, the Railsplitters scored five consecutive points to extend the lead to 24-15. The Trojans rallied off two straight points before LMU sealed the set, 25-17.
In the third set, the teams traded points during the opening possessions before Lincoln Memorial built a 15-11 edge. UMO scored five of the next eight points and eventually tied the set at 20-20. The Railsplitters regained the lead 21-20 before Mount Olive went on a 5-1 rally to win the third behind a pair of service aces, 25-22.
LMU held a 14-11 advantage midway through the fourth set before the sides traded the next 11 points. The Trojans responded by scoring six of the following seven points to close the gap to 23-20 with a pair of kills by Grant. The Railsplitters went on a 5-1 rally to secure set point at 25-24, but Mount Olive registered three straight points to earn the win, 27-25.
The Trojans will face Lincoln Memorial tomorrow, Sunday, March 10, for another non-conference match, starting at 1 p.m.
