Mount Olive extended its school record winning streak to 11 consecutive matches as the Trojans posted a 4-0 mark and won the Ninth Annual York College Men's Volleyball Classic Friday and Saturday at Jamaica, N.Y. Angel Dache was named MVP and Adam Miracle earned All-Tournament honors after helping Mount Olive win the tournament for the second straight year and third time in the last four years.
Mount Olive (17-3) opened play Friday with a 25-16, 25-19, 25-6 victory over Lasell (Mass.). The Trojans followed with three wins Saturday, starting with a 25-17, 25-13, 25-5 win over NYU-Poly. Steven Cruse recorded 15 kills, while Giora Sela added a career-high eight blocks.
The Trojans received a scare from Lancaster Bible College (Pa.) before pulling out a 25-21, 30-28, 25-18 victory. Dache led a balanced attack with 11 kills, while Miracle and Lewis Einarson each finished with nine kills and Andreas Lengler added eight kills. Einarson had no attack errors in 10 attempts for a .900 hitting percentage.
Mount Olive trailed 19-14 in the second set and was still down 22-18 before a kill by Miracle and back-to-back blocks by Tim Ebbecke - including a block assist with Miracle - tied the second set 22-22. Lancaster Bible saved five consecutive set points before Lengler's kill and a Lancaster Bible attack error gave the Trojans a two-set lead.
The Trojans capped the tournament with a 25-16, 25-18, 25-16 over tournament host York. Alex Rivero led Mount Olive with 11 kills, while Miracle added nine kills and five blocks. Trojan setter Ben Casado, who recorded 41 assists against Lancaster Bible, finished with 33 assists against York.
Mount Olive's win against NYU-Poly tied the previous school record winning streak of nine, set last season. The Trojans broke the record against Lancaster Bible and added to the record against York.
Mount Olive resumes Conference Carolinas action Tuesday as the Trojans travel to Belmont, N.C., to take on Belmont Abbey. Mount Olive defeated the Crusaders in three sets February 9 at Kornegay Arena. Match time is 6 p.m.