MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive women's volleyball team battled Conference Carolinas Southwest Division leader Emmanuel University to five sets Friday night at Kornegay Arena.

The Trojans dropped to 5-10 overall, 3-4 in league play, while Emmanuel stayed atop the standings at 8-5, 6-1 in conference.

The Lions claimed set one 25-18, hitting .222 with 11 kills and closing on a 5-0 run.
UMO responded with back-to-back set wins. In set two, the Trojans used a 6-1 run to pull ahead 24-19 before Ashlyn Haynie sealed a 25-20 win with a kill. 

Set three featured long rallies and strong defense, highlighted by Caroline Sheaffer's 21 digs. Tied at 18, the Trojans scored three straight on kills from Olivia Melvin, Kaitlyn Landis, and Haynie to go up 21-18. After Emmanuel tied it 23-23, Haynie and Reisinger closed out the 25-23 win. Haynie finished with 11 kills, while Reisinger added seven.

Emmanuel controlled set four, leading by as much as 11 to force a decisive fifth set.

The final set saw seven lead changes in a back-and-forth battle. UMO held an early 7-6 edge after Emmanuel errors and a Melvin kill, then traded points with the Lions down the stretch. Kills from Rachel Clark and Tanton tied the score 11-11, and Landis kept the Trojans alive with a late kill to cut it to 14-13. Emmanuel, however, escaped with a 15-13 win to take the match.

The Trojans return to Kornegay Arena Saturday at 1 p.m. to face Young Harris.