UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Mount Olive went toe-to-toe with No. 13 ranked for Penn State on Friday night at Rec Hall, earning a set victory and pushing the Nittany Lions in a competitive four-set match before falling 3–1 (25–20, 25–18, 20–25, 25–18) in the 2026 season opener.

The Trojans showed resilience throughout the contest, highlighted by a strong third set in which Mount Olive hit .391 and controlled the tempo to pull within one set. After dropping the opening two frames, UMO responded with its most complete stretch of the night, scoring early and maintaining pressure behind efficient attacking and improved serve-receive.

Maksim Kazanoz led the Mount Olive offense and Matthew Ekberg followed with 13 kills to go along with a team-leading five blocks, giving UMO two double-digit attackers. Jackson Lahey orchestrated the offense with 33 assists, consistently spreading the ball to keep Penn State's block honest.

The Trojans' best run came in the third set, where they built momentum early and never relinquished control, closing the frame 25–20 to force a fourth. Penn State answered in the final set by jumping out to an early lead, and despite several Mount Olive rallies, the hosts closed out the match.

UMO remains on the road for their next contest against McKendree on Friday, Jan. 17 in Charleston, W.Va. in the UC Invitational hosted by the University of Charleston.