BANNER ELK, N.C. --- The University of Mount Olive men's volleyball team overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Bobcats of Lees-McRae College in five sets on Friday evening in Conference Carolinas action at Williams Gymnasium in Banner Elk, N.C. Robert Poole became the UMO men's volleyball program career kills leader, while Jeff Yasalonis surpassed the 2,500 career assists mark tonight as well.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 3, Lees-McRae 2 (25-20, 20-25, 23-25, 25-23,15-11 )
Records: Mount Olive (15-11, 11-4), Lees-McRae (3-20, 1-13)
Location: Williams Gymnasium | Lees-McRae, N.C.
How It Happened
Play-by-Play
FIRST SET
- The Trojans held the early lead 7-4 on three kills, two by Brad Monaghan and one from Bret Rutledge, a service ace from Luke Visgitis, a double block from Yigit Erkek and Monaghan and two Bobcat errors.
- Following an LMC timeout, UMO went up by seven points, 17-10, after going on a 10-6 run. Five kills, four Bobcat errors and a Rutledge ace contributed to the Trojans run.
- Lees-McRae climbed within three points, 23-20, of Mount Olive but back-to-back kills by Monaghan and L. Visgitis closed the first set with the Trojans winning 25-20.
SECOND SET
- Lees-McRae started set two off scoring the first three points but Mount Olive tied the set up at five-all following a 5-2 run.
- The Trojans tied the set up at eight all after the Bobcats went ahead by three points, 8-5.
- Both teams remained neck and neck throughout the middle of the set with the score sitting at 16 all, but LMC took the momentum closing out the set on a 9-4 run winning set two 25-20 and evening up the match score.
THIRD SET
- Mount Olive came out in the third set taking an early 9-4 lead over Lees-McRae. Five Bobcat errors, an L. Visgitis kill, an Erkek/Yasalonis block, and two L. Visgitis aces all combined for the UMO lead.
- Midway through the set, the Trojans held a six-point, 15-9, lead over the Bobcats, but the home team came back to trail by two, 16-14, following a 5-1 rally.
- UMO opened their lead back up to five, 19-14, but LMC chipped away at the Trojans lead to win the third set 25-23.
FOURTH SET
- Set four started off pretty evenly as both teams traded points back-and-forth as Mount Olive called timeout leading 7-6.
- Coming out of the timeout, UMO went on a 5-1 run forcing Lees-McRae to call timeout with the score sitting at 12-7.
- The Trojans went on yet another 5-1 rally that caused the Bobcats to call their second timeout of the set to regroup trailing 17-8.
- Lees-McRae came out of their second timeout to go on a 12-4 run pulling within a point, 21-20, of Mount Olive late in the set.
- After a Mount Olive timeout, the Trojans went on a 4-3 run to win the set 25-23 and force a fifth set after tying the match score at two sets a team.
FIFTH SET
- Six kills and three Bobcat errors gave the Trojans a 9-5 lead halfway through the fifth set as LMC called timeout.
- Poole, after scoring the ninth point in the fifth set, became the UMO Men's Volleyball career kills leader, passing Angel Dache (2011-14 - three seasons) who tallied 960 kills in his career.
- The Bobcats pulled within a point, 9-8, but the Trojans went back up by four, 12-8, forcing yet another Lees-McRae timeout.
- Both teams scored three points each to close out the set but the Trojans held off the Bobcats to win 15-11 and take the match 3-2.
KEY STATS
- Brad Monaghan led the Trojans with 18 kills tying his career-high set on March 17, 2017, at Emmanuel.
- Luke Visgitis tallied a career-high 12 kills in the five-set win on 25 attacks. His four service aces on the night were also a new career-high for the freshman.
- Robert Poole's eight kills in the match were enough to pass the record for kills in a career, formerly held by Angel Dache. Poole now sits at 963 career kills.
- Jeff Yasalonis tallied 38 assists in the match. He passed the 2,500 career assists milestone during the match as he needed just 25 to reach the mark. Yasalonis sits at 2,513 career assists.
UP NEXT
Mount Olive is back in action tomorrow, April 7, as they travel to Bristol, Tenn., to take on King University. The Trojans and Tornado are set for the first serve at 12 p.m.
