Posted: Mar 03, 2017
Mount Olive, N.C. --- The University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team pushed past Belmont Abbey College, 3-1, on Friday night in Kornegay Arena in Mount Olive, N.C.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 3, Belmont Abbey 1 (25-22, 17-25, 25-15, 25-18)
Records: Mount Olive (11-6, 9-1 CC) Belmont Abbey (3-10, 2-7 CC)
Location: Kornegay Arena, Mount Olive, N.C.
How It Happened
Play-by-Play
FIRST SET
- After Belmont Abbey opened up a 7-4 lead in the early going, UMO used a 9-3 run to grab a 13-10 advantage and force a Crusaders' timeout.
- The Crusaders bounced back with a 4-0 run out of the timeout to retake the lead for Belmont Abbey at 14-13.
- The following 13 points featured six ties and five lead changes ending with the Trojans earning a 21-19 lead.
- BAC got back within a single point twice at 21-20 and 22-21, but UMO was able to close out the Crusaders with a 3-1 run in the Trojans' 25-22 first-set victory.
SECOND SET
- The Trojans got off to a sluggish start in the second frame, as Belmont Abbey ran out to an 8-2 lead.
- Mount Olive battled to get back within two at 10-8 and 11-9, but the Trojans could draw no closer as the Crusaders pulled away for the 25-17 set win.
- Belmont Abbey hit a scorching .591 in the second set to UMO's .269.
THIRD SET
- The Crusaders opened up an early 3-1 lead before Mount Olive roared back with a 16-7 run to give the Trojans a 17-10 advantage.
- A 3-0 run capped off by a service ace by junior Bret Rutledge helped the Trojans pull away to a 22-12 lead in route to UMO's 25-15 set victory.
FOURTH SET
- As was true much of the night, the Crusaders proved tough to shake free of as UMO grabbed a slim 8-5 lead early in the fourth frame.
- The Trojans used a 4-0 run, spurred by a pair of kills by sophomore Joel Roberts, to help Mount Olive begin to pull away with a 12-5 lead.
- After UMO opened a 20-9 lead over Belmont Abbey, the Crusaders made a furious rally to cut the Trojans' lead to just five at 23-18.
- Mount Olive recorded the final two points to earn the 25-18 fourth-set win and capture the match victory, 3-1.
KEY STATS
- Rutledge led the Trojans with 17 kills for the second-straight match in the victory.
- Junior Jeff Yasalonis (18) and sophomore Shane Yeo (15) combined for 33 assists in the win.
- Being substituted in midway through the second set, junior Robert Poole amassed a team-high five service aces.
- Senior Alex Palmatier led the way for UMO with 5.5 blocks.
- The Trojans outhit Belmont Abbey, .310 to .182, in the win.
Up Next
Mount Olive returns to Kornegay Arena on Saturday for a matchup with Pfeiffer University at Noon in Mount Olive, N.C.