DUE WEST, S.C (Feb. 28) - In the initial match of a two-game road trip in Conference Carolinas action, the University of Mount Olive men's volleyball program reigned victorious in a 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-16, 25-14) at Erskine on Friday night.

With their eighth win in a row and a stellar 5-0 start to conference play, the Trojans improve to 10-2 overall as they get ready to complete the first half of league play. These two programs will square off once more this season on March 29th as Erskine makes the trip down to Mount Olive. Meanwhile, Erskine drops to 7-7 on the year while its conference record sits at 3-3. 

Junior Kory Grant led the way offensively as the right-side attacker recorded 10 kills on a .435 hitting percentage along with two digs and one block. Senior Blake Hosic dialed up seven kills pm a .400 clip with eight digs, two assists, and two blocks. Senior middle-blocker Holden Maryott added six kills on a .667 hitting percentage while recording four blocks (one solo) and two service aces. Junior setter Jackson Lahey had a productive night for the Trojans as he collected 26 assists while contributing four kills, one ace, four blocks, and three digs.

Freshman libero Luca Colombo was as advertised as the defensive specialist recorded a career-best 18 digs on Friday evening while garnering three assists. 

In the first set, the two sides exchanged points for a majority of the early portion of the match. No team collected more than three points in a row until the middle half of the set when the Trojans saw a 12-11 lead explode following five unanswered points, including a trio of kills by Hosic. The Trojans pushed forward as they ended the set on a five-point run that included three kills by Grant, which saw the Trojans win, 25-14.

The second set saw a similar scoreline take place as the Trojans outdueled the Flying Fleet, 25-16. UMO used another couple of big runs early in the set to create separation from their opponent including a 7-1 run that saw Lahey collect one of his four kills. Erskine would make a push late, but the Trojans brushed it off before collecting the eventual set point.

Mount Olive opened on a 10-5 start in the third set that would only grow from that point. Erskine sophomore Tyler Kuehl tried to keep his side in it as he had three of his team-high seven kills during the set but would only watch his team falter against an undefeated conference opponent in Mount Olive. Second-year head coach Yigit Erkek of Mount Olive applauded his group in the final few plays of the match as Mount Olive would go on a 6-1 run to end the third set, 25-14.

The Trojans have now won 22 straight sets and eight games in a row, while going the entirety of February without losing a set.

The Trojans will quickly turn their attention to conference battle versus the Emmanuel tomorrow, Saturday, March 1, at 2 p.m.
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