RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 6) – In a Southeast Regional matchup to begin the 2024 campaign, the University of Mount Olive women's volleyball program rallied to a 3-2 victory (25-16, 22-25, 24-26, 25-17, 15-12) over Catawba on Friday afternoon at the Shaw U Invitational.
With the win, the Trojans start the year with a 1-0 record after being selected third in the preseason Conference Carolinas poll following back-to-back 20-win seasons. Meanwhile, the Catawba Indians fall to a 1-1 overall mark after playing Barton and Mount Olive on Friday. Catawba was voted sixth in the preseason South Atlantic Conference (SAC) poll after posting a 12-11 record last season.
Freshman
Olivia Melvin delivered a stellar debut for the UMO after registering a game-high 15 kills on a .444 hitting percentage. Senior
Ashlyn Stone posted a kill-dig double-double in the season opener after finishing with 14 kills on a .297 clip with 10 digs and a pair of service aces. Fellow senior
Karoline Cox also reached double-figures with 10 kills on a .563 hitting percentage.
Sophomore
Lyndsay Reid tallied a career-high eight service aces while producing an assist-dig double-double behind 17 assists and 10 digs on Friday. Junior transfer
Breanna Tanton also guided the offense with 15 assists and two digs in her debut with Mount Olive. Fellow junior
Caroline Sheaffer finished with a game-high 13 digs while freshman
Kacey Gore finished with 12 digs and two aces in her first collegiate appearance.
In the opening set, the Trojans quickly established a 14-3 advantage following a 10-0 run to begin the match, led by a trio of kills by Melvin. Catawba answered with three straight points to trim the deficit, but the UMO offense stretched the lead to 20-8 after scoring six of the next eight points. Mount Olive went on to clinch the final set by a 25-16 margin following a kill by Melvin.
After exchanging points early in the second, the Trojans totaled five consecutive points, including three kills by Stone to hold an 11-8 lead. Catawba rallied to tie the contest at 11-11 before six unanswered points from the Trojans extended the advantage to 17-11. The Catawba Indians flipped the script late in the second set with a 10-2 rally to take a 21-19 lead. With UMO trailing 23-22, Catawba scored back-to-back points to claim the set, 25-22.
Catawba held an 11-9 advantage in the opening moments of the third set before Mount Olive tied the match at 11-11 after another ace from Reid. The sides traded the next 10 points, but Catawba answered with three straight points to reclaim a 19-16 edge. The Trojans rallied to knot the contest at 23-23 after kills from three different players before Catawba scored three of the final four points to seal a 26-24 win.
In the fourth set, Mount Olive built a 15-9 lead following a 5-1 run, but Catawba closed the gap with three unanswered points, 15-12. UMO remained ahead by an 18-13 margin before the Catawba Indians totaled four consecutive points to trim the deficit to 18-17. The Trojans registered seven straight points including two kills by Stone to secure a 25-17 victory.
Catawba managed to take a 6-4 advantage in the decisive set before the Trojans tallied five of the next six points to take a 9-7 edge. With the match tied at 12-12, Stone delivered a kill before Reid delivered consecutive aces to seal the victory, 15-12.
Mount Olive returns to the court on Saturday, Sept. 7, to face host Shaw in a non-conference match, starting at noon.
