MOUNT OLIVE (April 16) – Senior
Justin Gregory produced a career-high 26 kills on an impressive .548 hitting percentage, as the Trojans rallied in a five-set thriller to earn a 3-2 victory over Barton in the Conference Carolinas Championship Quarterfinals on Tuesday night at Kornegay Arena.
With the win, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team improves to 17-9 overall behind a 6-2 mark on their home court. Following the victory, the Trojans advance to the semifinals of the league tournament to face top-seeded Belmont Abbey in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday, April 19, at 5 p.m. Meanwhile, Barton finished the season with a 12-13 record while going 3-9 on the road this season.
Gregory delivered a game-high 26 kills on a staggering .548 clip while adding five blocks and six digs over five sets played. Senior
Hayden Frear finished with 12 kills on a .400 hitting percentage with two blocks and nine digs. Junior
Holden Maryott totaled seven kills on a .333 clip while tallying eight blocks and two digs. Sophomore
Kory Grant registered seven kills, one ace, one block, and three digs. Fellow sophomore
Jackson Lahey guided the offense with an assist/dig double-double behind 54 assists and 13 digs against the Bulldogs.
In the first set, UMO held a 10-9 edge after Barton scored five unanswered points, including four service aces, to take a 14-10 advantage. Both sides totaled three straight points until the Trojans closed the gap to 17-15 after a kill by Frear. Mount Olive remained within striking distance of the lead before the Bulldogs scored four of the final five points to take the opening set, 25-20.
Barton scored the first point of the second set before UMO mounted a 10-1 run behind a pair of kills from Gregory to hold a 10-2 lead. The Trojans held a significant advantage throughout the set and totaled seven of the final eight points to seal a 25-11 victory.
In the third set, the teams were tied at 9-9, but Barton managed to take a 17-11 lead after capitalizing on four attacking errors by the Trojans. Mount Olive closed the gap to 19-18 with kills by Frear and Gregory, but the Bulldogs scored three of the next four points to hold a 22-19 edge. UMO trimmed the deficit to 23-21, but Barton secured the set with consecutive points, 25-21.
The Bulldogs built a 7-6 edge in the fourth set before UMO countered with an 11-4 rally with four kills tallied by Gregory to take a 19-10 advantage. Barton worked the deficit down to 21-15, but Maryott helped the Trojans to a 25-17 win following a kill and a service ace.
In the fifth set, Mount Olive quickly established a 4-1 lead and held at least a two-point lead before scoring five unanswered points, 13-6. Barton totaled three of the next four points before Gregory completed the UMO comeback with a kill, 15-9.
The Trojans return to action on Friday, April 19, when they face No. 1 seed Belmont Abbey in the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Championship in North Charleston, South Carolina, at 5 p.m.
