FRANKLIN SPRINGS, GA (Sept. 20) – In the Conference Carolinas opener, the University of Mount Olive women's volleyball program was held to its lowest hitting percentage of the season in a 3-0 loss at Emmanuel on Friday night.
With the loss, the Trojans drop to 3-5 this season behind a 0-1 mark in league play. Emmanuel holds a 10-3 record in the series dating back to 2014. Meanwhile, the Lions improve to 4-5 overall with a 1-0 record in conference action.
Senior
Ashlyn Stone paced the team with nine kills and added 10 digs over three sets. Freshman
Olivia Melvin finished with five kills and one block (solo), while junior
Sam Widelski and sophomore
Kaitlyn Landis totaled four kills. Sophomore
Lyndsay Reid directed the offense with an assist/dig double-double after recording 19 assists and 10 digs in the loss.
Defensively, junior
Caroline Sheaffer led the defensive effort with 13 digs while Stone and Reid reached double-figures.
In the first set, the Lions built an early 4-1 advantage after capitalizing on attacking errors by the Trojans. With UMO trailing by an 8-4 margin, the sides exchanged the next eight points before Emmanuel scored three straight points to hold a 15-8 lead. The Lions stretched the advantage to 18-9 to force a timeout by UMO, but the Trojans tallied seven of the following 11 points to close the gap to 22-16. Emmanuel registered three of the final five points to claim the opening set, 25-18.
The Lions established an early 7-5 edge in the second set before going on an 8-1 run to hold a 15-6 lead. UMO responded with five unanswered points with three different players recording a kill to trim the deficit to 15-11. Emmanuel countered with three consecutive points to force a Mount Olive timeout, but the Trojans rallied with an 8-4 run to close the gap to 22-19. The Lions finished the set with three straight points to win by a 25-19 margin.
Mount Olive produced a 7-5 lead in the third set before Emmanuel rallied with five consecutive points to claim a 10-7 edge. The Trojans answered with back-to-back points, but the Lions scored six of the following eight points to extend the advantage to 16-11. UMO countered with a 5-1 run closing the gap to 17-16 before Emmanuel totaled eight of the final 10 points to earn the sweep, 25-18.
Mount Olive returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 21, to face Erskine on the road in Conference Carolinas play at noon.
