MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. --- The University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team defeated the North Greenville University Crusaders in three sets on Saturday afternoon in Conference Carolinas action at Kornegay Arena in Mount Olive, N.C. Seniors Josh Donahue, Jeff Yasalonis, Robert Poole, Bret Rutledge and Kian Hollevoet were recognized following the match for their hard work and dedication to the UMO Green and White.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 3, North Greenville 0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-17)
Records: Mount Olive (14-10, 10-3), North Greenville (11-13, 5-7)
Location: Kornegay Arena | Mount Olive, N.C.
How It Happened
Play-by-Play
FIRST SET
- The two teams were neck and neck through the first half of the match as they tied up the score four times before the Crusaders took a 13-11 lead as UMO called timeout.
- The Trojans came out of the timeout on a 6-1 run taking the 17-14 lead and forcing an NGU timeout. Four kills and two Crusader errors contributed to the UMO run.
- Mount Olive continued to creep away from North Greenville as they closed out the set on an 8-4 run to win the opening set 25-18.
SECOND SET
- UMO started the second set on fire scoring the first five points on two kills, two NGU errors, and a Rutledge ace which forced a Crusader timeout.
- North Greenville responded with a 7-2 run that pulled them within a point of Mount Olive, 8-7, but UMO answered with four straight opening up a five-point lead, 12-7.
- The Crusaders answered with their own four-point run putting the score at 12-11, before UMO took another five-point lead, 17-12, on a 5-1 run that included three kills and two NGU errors.
- NGU closed the gap once more pulling within two points, 20-18, of the Trojans, but UMO turned on the gas as they closed out set three on a 5-1 run winning 25-19 and improving their match score to 2-0.
THIRD SET
- Set three was pretty even through the opening serves as NGU held a slim 7-6 lead following a UMO service error.
- The Trojans pulled ahead by four points following a 6-1 run as North Greenville called timeout with the score sitting at 12-8.
- The Crusaders fought to stay with the Trojans as they trailed by just one point, 15-14, at the midway point, but Mount Olive shutdown any chance of a comeback as the Trojans closed the third set on a 10-3 run to win the match 3-0.
KEY STATS
- Robert Poole led the Trojan attack with 11 kills on 17 attempts for a .529 hitting percentage. He added three service aces and two digs, assists, and blocks during the match.
- Bret Rutledge was second in kills with nine on 23 attacks. He served up three aces and tallied six digs in the three-set win.
- Kian Hollevoet had a game as he tallied eight kills on 19 attacks. He popped up four digs and assisted on a block.
- Jeff Yasalonis tallied 29 assists, increasing his claim as the career assists leader in the UMO Men's Volleyball Record Book. He needs 58 assists to reach 2,500 assists in his career.
- Josh Donahue tallied three digs and needs 36 to hit the 1,000 dig mark.
- Luke Visgitis had five kills on six attempts for a .667 hitting percentage. He also had a dig and a solo block.
UP NEXT
Mount Olive has a long break before they play at Barton College on April 3. The Trojans and Bulldogs face off in Wilson Gymnasium at 7 p.m. in a rivalry match to determine the Conference Carolinas standings leader.