BELMONT, N.C. --- The University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team defeated the Crusaders of Belmont Abbey College in four sets during the single Conference Carolinas weekend matchup at the Wheeler Center in Belmont, N.C. Bret Rutledge led the attack with 12 kills while Robert Poole and Brad Monaghan were close on his heels with 11 kills each.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 3, Belmont Abbey 1 (25-22, 25-13, 22-25, 25-15)
Records: Mount Olive (10-5, 7-2), Belmont Abbey (6-9, 4-5)
Location: Wheeling Center | Belmont, N.C.
How It Happened
Play-by-Play
FIRST SET
- The teams were evenly matched as they were tied up at eight all through the beginning phase of the first set.
- Belmont Abbey went ahead by three, 11-8, on three straight kills by the Crusaders.
- UMO took a one-point lead, 12-11, following a pair of Belmont Abbey errors and aces by Robert Poole.
- The set then became a slug match as the two squads went back and forth tying the game seven times, last at 20 all, before the Trojans managed to hold off the Crusaders for the 5-2 run to win set one 25-22.
SECOND SET
- UMO started the second set on fire as they quickly opened the 10-3 lead over BAC right out of the gates.
- The Crusaders trailed by seven, 15-8, before three consecutive points by the Trojans on two kills and an error, gave them a 10-point, 18-8, lead.
- Five kills, an error, and a Joel Roberts ace gave Mount Olive the final seven points needed to win the set 25-15 taking the 2-0 match lead.
THIRD SET
- The teams went point-for-point through the first ten serves of the third set to sit tied five all after a BAC service error.
- A 5-2 run by the Crusaders gave them the 10-7, three-point lead just shy of the halfway point of the set.
- Mount Olive came back after trailing by three points through the middle of the set to tie the game at 19 all forcing a BAC timeout.
- Belmont Abbey capitalized on three kills and three Trojan errors to close out the set on a 6-3 run winning game three 25-22.
FOURTH SET
- The set began with the Crusaders taking an early 6-3 lead.
- Mount Olive came back over a 5-2 run to tie the set at eight points all following three kills and a BAC error.
- Five kills, four Crusader errors and two triple blocks spurred an 11-4 run by the Trojans to take the seven-point, 19-12, lead late in the set.
- Belmont Abbey scored three points after calling a timeout but the Trojan train was moving too fast as UMO won the fourth set 25-15 and the match 3-1.
KEY STATS
- Bret Rutledge led the attack with 12 kills while Robert Poole and Brad Monaghan were close on his heels with 11 kills each.
- Poole had four service aces while four others, Jeff Yasalonis, Roberts, Rutledge and Yigit Erkek, all tallied a single ace.
UP NEXT
Mount Olive begins a cross-country road trip over spring break that takes the team to California and Arizona. The Trojans face the No. 1 nationally ranked Long Beach State on Wednesday, March 7, at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, in Long Beach, California.