Kian Hollevoet and Tyler Yanez combined for 11 of University of Mount Olive's 13 aces as the Trojans opened their 2015 Conference Carolinas men's volleyball season with a 25-9, 25-16, 25-23 Friday at Kornegay Arena. Hollevoet served six aces and Yanez added five service aces.
Yanez served four consecutive aces in the first set during a 9-0 run to help Mount Olive (1-1 overall, 1-0 Conference Carolinas) build a 13-3 lead. The margin never fell below nine points the remainder of the set. Peyton Schirman recorded kills on four of Mount Olive's final five points to give the Trojans the opening set.
Mount Olive recorded a .560 team hitting percentage in the first set on 14 kills and no errors in 25 attempts. The Trojans did not commit an attack error until their 36th attempt.
Hollevoet served aces on three consecutive points during an 8-2 run to give the Trojans a 14-5 lead in the second set. Another ace by Yanez extended Mount Olive's lead to double digits at 17-7. North Greenville got as close as six points, but a Crusader attack error on set point gave Mount Olive a two-set lead.
North Greenville (0-4, 0-2) took advantage of Trojan errors to jump out to an 8-0 lead in the third set. Luuga Vailu'u had a kill and combined on three blocks to open the set. Mount Olive chipped away at the deficit and Hollevoet's kill gave the Trojans their first lead at 15-14.
A kill by Connor Rhine put North Greenville back on top 20-19 before a pair of kills by Andrew Sydow gave Mount Olive the lead for good. Curtis Westra's kill saved one match point for the Crusaders, but Hollevoet's cross-court kill from the left side sealed the win for the Trojans.
Hollevoet led a balanced attack with a match-high nine kills, while Schirman and Robert Poole added seven kills apiece. Yanez finished with 32 assists and Josh Donahue recorded 11 digs. Sydow recorded four blocks for the Trojans.
Westra led North Greenville with seven kills, while Vailu'u led all players with five blocks. North Greenville is in its first year of men's volleyball.
Mount Olive concludes its weekend homestand Saturday as the Trojans play host to first-year conference member Emmanuel in Conference Carolinas action. Match time is 2 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.