WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The University of Mount Olive women's volleyball team continued play in the Spike Out Hunger Classic in Winston-Salem, N.C. hosted by Winston-Salem State University.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 3, Slippery Rock 1 (25-20), (19-25), (25-23), (25-22)
Records: Mount Olive 2-1 (0-0); Slippery Rock 2-1 (0-0 PSAC)
Location: Whitaker Gymnasium
HOW IT HAPPENED
Play-by-Play
FIRST SET
-The battle to commit the least amount of errors was won by the Trojans, who committed just six errors to Slippery Rock's 12.
-Slippery Rock dominated the first portion of the set before Mount Olive recorded a 10-4 on the way to a 25-20 set victory.
SECOND SET
-Slippery Rock's early control of the set did not fade, as UMO was outhit by the Rock .281 to .100.
-Mount Olive cut Slippery Rock's lead to 20-19, but SRU attacked and recorded the final five points.
-SRU limited its errors to just three while the Trojans committed eight.
THIRD SET
-Mount Olive fell behind early again but was able to climb out of a 12-6 hole to take a lead at 15-14.
-Junior MacKenzie Call recorded four of her team-high ten kills during the third set.
-Despite trailing 23-22, the Trojans scored the last four points on two SRU errors, a kill by freshman Natalie Perez, and a service ace by junior Britni Johnson.
FOURTH SET
-The Trojans opened the set with the first point on a kill by junior Casey Fiechter and led wire-to-wire for the first time in a set this season.
-UMO kept its foot on the gas the entire set, holding its largest lead of the set at 23-16.
-Natalie Perez recorded her only kill of the set when it counted the most, as the freshman sealed the victory with a kill off an assist from freshman Kamber Skeen.
KEY STATS
-MacKenzie Call led the Trojans with 10 kills on 33 total attacks.
-Kamber Skeen continued to lead UMO with 30 assists and 15 digs.
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 3, Chowan 1 (25-19), (25-19), (24-26), (25-19)
Records: Mount Olive 3-1 (0-0); Chowan 0-3 (0-0 CIAA)
Location: Whitaker Gymnasium
HOW IT HAPPENED
Play-by-Play
FIRST SET
-Throughout the early portions of the first set, UMO held the advantage before Chowan took control at 13-12.
-Trailing 18-15, the Trojans roared back with a 10-1 run fueled by two kills each by juniors Britni Johnson and Mi'Kayla Benson.
SECOND SET
-Despite falling behind 4-0, UMO pushed forward to tie the set at 10-10.
-After tying the set, two kills by Benson helped propel Mount Olive forward to take a 13-10 lead.
-Late set opponent rallies hurt the Trojans on the first day of the classic, but UMO powered through the end of the set in the 25-19 victory.
THIRD SET
-The tightest set of all three featured three lead changes and seven ties.
-UMO held three-point leads at 9-6, 15-12, 16-13, and 20-17
-Chowan took the third set with a 6-2 closing run.
FOURTH SET
-Once again a tightly contested set, the Trojans broke away from Chowan with a 6-2 powered by a pair of kills by junior Britni Jonson to move ahead 16-12
-Chowan immediately answered with a 2-0 run to cut the UMO advantage to 16-14.
-Junior Karley Pounds finished the contest with a kill assisted by freshman Kamber Skeen on match point.
KEY STATS
-Britni Johnson, once again, led the Trojans with 16 kills.
-Mi'Kayla Benson finished with 15 kills and a .522 hitting percentage
-Kamber Skeen compiled a double-double with 49 assists and 16 digs to lead UMO.
-Freshman Natalie Perez and junior Mackenzie Call added 11 and 10 kills respectively
NOTABLES
-The 3-1 start to the season is the best start to a season for the program since 2004.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will travel to Aiken, S.C. to compete in the USC Aiken Invitational September 9-10.