Danielle Plante led all players with 11 kills and Ashley Burnett added 10 kills, but it wasn't enough as University of Mount Olive fell to Chowan University 25-20, 25-21, 25-17 in non-conference women's volleyball Wednesday at Kornegay Arena. The contest capped the Trojans' six-match homestand.
Mount Olive (2-12) fell behind 8-3 in the first set before back-to-back kills by Sarah Watkins pulled the Trojans within 10-9. Mount Olive tied the set 17-17 after diving digs by Nicole Karas and Casey Fiechter set up Morgan Morrissette's kill. A Chowan attack error gave Mount Olive its first lead since 1-0, but the lead was short lived as three consecutive Trojan errors put the Hawks on top to stay. Michelle Seiler and Ashley Tutherow combined on a block on set point to give Chowan the opening set.
In the second set, Burnett followed Britni Johnson's ace with consecutive kills as Mount Olive jumped out to an 8-4 lead. Back-to-back kills by Tutherow sparked an 8-2 Chowan run and the Hawks led the remainder of the set. Brittany Tschida's solo block on set point gave the Hawks a two-set advantage.
The two teams exchanged scoring runs in the third set after Suraya Chase's kill gave Chowan (9-3) a 13-10 lead. Mount Olive took the lead with five unanswered points as Plante sandwiched a pair of kills around a block by Mackenzie Call and Sydney Kanupp, and Burnett capped the run with an ace. Plante's 11th kill gave Mount Olive a 17-15 lead, but that would be the Trojans' final point of the match. Tschida gave Chowan a side out with a kill, then served three aces during the Hawks' match-ending 10-point scoring run. After a diving dig on match point by Chowan setter Becca Page, Tschida set the ball to Brianna Smith, whose kill sealed the Hawks' seventh consecutive win.
Plante recorded only two errors in 28 attempts for a .321 hitting percentage. Danielle Stachura had 15 assists and Karas added 14 assists Fiechter led all players defensively with 13 digs, while Burnett came within one dig of a double-double.
Tutherow led a balanced Chowan attack with nine kills, while Tschida had a match-high three aces.
Mount Olive hits the road for the first time in three weeks as the Trojans travel to the Charlotte, N.C., area for a pair of Conference Carolinas matches. The Trojans go to Belmont, N.C., Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. contest against Belmont Abbey College, then head to Misenheimer, N.C., Sunday to take on Pfeiffer University. Match time is 2 p.m.