MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team opened its home schedule in dramatic fashion, outlasting Charleston (W.Va.) in a five-set thriller Friday night inside Kornegay Arena.

The Trojans earned the 3–2 victory (27-25, 22-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-8) behind a balanced offensive effort and a strong showing at the net, finishing the match with 17.5 total team blocks. Mount Olive improved to 2-3 on the season with the home opener win.

Mount Olive jumped out early by claiming the opening set 27-25, fending off multiple Charleston pushes before Jackson Lahey closed the frame with a kill. Charleston responded by taking the next two sets, but the Trojans refused to let the match slip away, regaining momentum in the fourth set with timely kills and key blocks to force a decisive fifth.

In the final set, Mount Olive controlled the tempo from the start, racing to an early lead and never looking back. The Trojans hit efficiently and used a stout defensive effort to pull away late, sealing the match with a commanding 15-8 win.

Brooks Ignosci led Mount Olive with 19 kills, while Kory Grant added 17 and Maksim Kazanov totaled 10. Setter Jackson Lahey orchestrated the offense effectively and chipped in defensively, as he finished with a game-high 46 assists, to go along with seven dig and three block assists, as the Trojans posted double-digit blocks and limited Charleston's attack down the stretch.
\Mount Olive returns to action tomorrow against Fort Valley State at 12 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.