Angel Dache recorded a match-high 21 kills, while Steven Cruse and Tim Ebbecke came off the bench to spark Mount Olive in the final two sets as the Trojans remained unbeaten in conference play with a 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, 25-21 victory over Lees-McRae in Conference Carolinas men's volleyball Saturday at Kornegay Arena. Dache served three of the Trojans' season-high 12 aces.
After splitting the first two sets, Mount Olive (5-1 overall, 4-0 Conference Carolinas) took a 4-3 lead in the third set as Ebbecke had an early kill and block in his first appearance of the match. The set saw nine ties before back-to-back aces by Dache broke a 14-14 tie and put Mount Olive ahead to stay.
A block and a kill by Adam Miracle highlighted an 8-3 run and gave the Trojans their biggest lead at 22-17. The margin never fell below three points and Miracle's kill gave Mount Olive the third set.
In the fourth set, Cruse's ace highlighted a four-point run to give Mount Olive a 5-2 lead and the Trojans led the remainder of the set. The margin grew to as many as eight points and Mount Olive held a 24-17 lead before Lees-McRae fought off four match points. After a Trojan timeout, Cruse's kill down the right side sealed the win.
Mount Olive scored the first three points of the opening set, but could never pull away until two kills by Dache highlighted a 4-0 run to give the Trojans a 22-18 lead. Lees-McRae scored the next three points, two coming on blocks by Jose Ribas. Dache answered with back-to-back kills and after a Lees-McRae side out, Dache's kill on set point gave Mount Olive a one-set lead.
Lees-McRae (2-2, 2-2) overcame nine service errors in the second set to even the match at a set apiece. The Bobcats used kills by John Lucas and Matt Harpenau to break away from a 19-19 tie and take a 23-20 lead. Back-to-back kills by Miracle triggered a 3-0 run to tie the set. Mount Olive saved a pair of set points before an error gave Lees-McRae the second set.
Dache reached the 20-kill mark for the second time in as many nights. Dache recorded 20 kills Friday against Division I Ball State.
Trojan setter Ben Casado established a career high for the second straight night with 50 assists. Andreas Lengler finished with 10 kills for Mount Olive, while Miracle added nine kills. Miracle and Ebbecke shared team-high honors with four blocks apiece. Casado, Miracle and Richard Hesse served two aces apiece.
Libero Dan Arnold had a season-high 11 digs, including an acrobatic dig on the Trojan left side in the fourth set that led to a kill by Miracle.
Javier Jimemez led Lees-McRae with 16 kills and shared match-high honors with 11 digs. Joshua Jones added nine kills and a match-high six blocks, Randy Ramirez recorded 42 assists.
Mount Olive returns to action Tuesday as the Trojans play host to Coker in a Conference Carolinas match-up. Coker is one of three conference teams in its first year of men's volleyball. Match time is 7 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.