Men's Volleyball Holds Off Limestone In Four Sets

Men's Volleyball Holds Off Limestone In Four Sets

Angel Dache led all players with 22 kills and Steven Cruse added 19 kills as University of Mount Olive defeated Limestone College 25-13, 29-31, 25-21, 25-19 in Conference Carolinas men's volleyball Friday at Gaffney, S.C. Dache had eight kills and Cruse had six kills in the final set to help spark the Trojans to their fourth win in their last five matches.

Mount Olive (5-7, overall, 4-3 Conference Carolinas) trailed 8-7 in the fourth set before four kills by Dache highlighted a 5-2 run to put the Trojans ahead to stay. A kill and a block each by Cruse and Mike Mann helped Mount Olive extend its lead to 16-11 before Limestone came back with four answered points to pull with one.

After the Trojans and Saints exchanged side outs, Lewis Einarson recorded a kill and Dache followed with back-to-back kills to give Mount Olive a 20-16 lead. The margin never fell below three points as kills by Dache and Cruse helped give the Trojans a 23-19 lead.

Garrett Dimm accounted for the final two points of the match for Mount Olive, combining with Mann on a block and sealing the win with a solo block on match point.

The first set was all Mount Olive as Einarson's kill broke a 3-3 tie and the Trojans never looked back. Cruse had a pair of kills and an ace, and Dimm added a pair of kills in a 10-3 run that gave Mount Olive its first double-digit lead at 18-8. The Trojans reached the 20-point mark before Limestone reached double figures and Dache's kill on set point gave Mount Olive the opening set.

Limestone (8-3, 4-2) jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the second set as Eric Zaun sparked the Saints with a block and an ace. Mount Olive was still down by six at 15-9 when Dimm's kill ignited a run for the Trojans. Cruse served an ace and Dache's kill capped a 5-0 run as Mount Olive tied the set 16-16.

The two teams exchanged 10 consecutive side outs before a kill by Dache broke a 20-20 tie and gave Mount Olive its first lead of the set. Limestone used a pair of Trojan errors to take a 23-22 lead, but a kill and an ace by Cruse gave Mount Olive what would be the first of six consecutive set points. Limestone saved two set points on a pair of Jon Schaefer kills and Mount Olive twice committed service errors on set point.

Cruse's kill broke a 28-28 tie and gave Mount Olive its final set point. After a Trojan service error, Zaun's kill gave Limestone its first set point. The Saints tied the match at a set apiece after a Trojan attack error.

In the third set, a block by Dimm and Einarson gave the Trojans a 14-10 advantage. Limestone chipped away at the lead and Zaun's kill tied the set 18-18. Cruse's kill put Mount Olive back on top to stay, while back-to-back kills by Dache and two straight Limestone attack errors after a Saints timeout gave the Trojans a 5-0 run and a 23-18 lead. Einarson added a kill and a Limestone attack error gave Mount Olive the third set.

Dache added a career-high 13 digs for his first double-double of the season, while Trojan libero also shared match-high honors with 13 digs. Dimm finished with nine kills and three blocks, and Einarson had eight kills and two blocks. Quaid Marin recorded 54 assists.

Limestone was led by Zaun with 20 kills and Schaeffer with 13 kills. Luca Yanek had 42 assists for the Saints.

Mount Olive concludes its weekend Conference Carolinas road trip Saturday as the Trojans head to Due West, S.C., to take on Erskine. Match time is 2 p.m.