Trojans Outlast Belmont Abbey In Five Sets In Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball

Trojans Outlast Belmont Abbey In Five Sets In Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball

Robert Poole and Peyton Schirman led four players in double figures with 16 kills apiece as University of Mount Olive outlasted Belmont Abbey 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 27-29, 15-8 in Conference Carolinas men's volleyball Friday at Kornegay Arena. Kian Hollevoet added 15 kills and Andrew Sydow finished with 11 kills.

A one-hand set by Trojan setter Jeff Yasalonis led to a kill in the middle by Mike Mann that broke a 4-4 tie and put Mount Olive (4-3 overall, 3-2 Conference Carolinas) ahead to stay in the final set. Mann and Yasalonis combined on a block and Poole had a pair of kills as the Trojans extended their lead to 12-5. Brad Monaghan, who entered the match late in the fourth and fifth sets, sealed the win with kills on the left side for the final two points of the match.

After dropping the opening set, Sydow's kill broke an 8-8 tie in the second set and Mount Olive led the rest of the way. A block by Schirman and Hollevoet gave the Trojans their biggest lead at 17-14 before Belmont Abbey rallied to pull within a point at 20-19. The Crusaders appeared to record a set-tying kill, but Yasalonis chased a ball into the stands to keep the point alive and Mann finished the improbable point for Mount Olive with a kill in the middle as the Trojans went on to even the match at a set apiece.

In the third set, a kill and a block by Sydow helped Mount Olive build a 19-15 lead. Belmont Abbey (6-3, 3-3) tied the set as Justin Snyder's kill capped a 4-0 run. Another kill by Sydow put the Trojans back on top and Mann's kill closed out the set.

A pair of service aces by Poole helped Mount Olive race out to an early four-point lead and the Trojans continued to lead 18-14. Belmont Abbey took the lead with a 6-1 run, highlighted by a triple block on the left side by Snyder, Robert Nixon and Derek Sullivan. The Crusaders had their first set point on Nolan Albrecht's kill, but after a Mount Olive timeout, Hollevoet had a kill and Poole served an ace to give the Trojans their first match point.

A Trojan attack error kept Belmont Abbey in the match, but a Crusader service error gave Mount Olive another match point. The Trojans again were unable to capitalize and Gavin Schaffer's ace on set point sent the contest to the deciding fifth set.

Yasalonis tied for the fourth highest single-match assists total in school history with 64 assists. Andrew Salmon came off the bench to record a career-high 13 digs. Sydow tallied an .833 hitting percentage, Mann (eight kills) recorded a .533 hitting percentage and Hollevoet finished with a .480 hitting percentage to help the Trojans compile a team hitting percentage of .356.

Albrecht led all players with 21 kills for Belmont Abbey, while Snyder added 12 kills.

Mount Olive returns to action next week with Conference Carolinas home contests on three consecutive dates at Kornegay Arena. The Trojans play host to Pfeiffer University Thursday and Lees-McRae Friday. Match time both nights is 7 p.m. Mount Olive concludes its "triathlon" Saturday with a 2 p.m. match against King University.