MOC sports news

Published in Sports on October 29, 2004 1:56 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- With one match remaining in the regular season, the post-season scenario is pretty simple for the Mount Olive College men's soccer team: a win makes the Trojans the No. 2 seed; a loss or a tie and ... well, maybe it isn't so simple.

Mount Olive will try for its highest-ever conference finish as the Trojans travel to Banner Elk Saturday to take on Lees-McRae in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's soccer under the lights.

Match time is 7:30 p.m.

Mount Olive (12-4-2 overall, 7-2-0 CVAC) is playing its first match since last Saturday's 1-0 loss to three-time regular season conference champion Queens. The loss was the Trojans' second in a row in conference play after winning their first seven CVAC matches. Mount Olive, which ranks eighth in the nation in scoring offense with more than three goals per game, has scored only two goals in its last three matches, both coming in a 2-0 win over Newberry. On the upside, the Trojan defense has allowed only two goals in the last three matches.

Cory Worrell, who leads the CVAC in scoring and has scored at least one goal in 13 of 18 matches this season, has been held without a goal in his last three matches, his longest scoreless streak of the year. The trend this year has been when Worrell scores, the Trojans win. Mount Olive is 11-0-2 overall and 7-0-0 in the CVAC when Worrell scores at least one goal.

Lees-McRae (9-6-1, 6-3-0) is also playing its first match since last Saturday, a 6-0 victory at St. Andrews. The Bobcats' win, coupled with Mount Olive's loss, pulled Lees-McRae within a game of the second-place Trojans.

Up until a few days ago, Mount Olive was assured of at least a share of second place in the regular season final standings and would most likely enter next week's CVAC Tournament as either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed. But that changed a few days ago when Anderson was required to forfeit three conference matches due to playing an ineligible player. As a result, Belmont Abbey is now tied with Mount Olive for second place. The forfeits also clinch CVAC Tournament bids for Coker and Erskine, while eliminating Anderson and Limestone from playoff contention. Because the forfeits are having such an effect on the conference standings, there is a possibility the decision may be reviewed.

The Trojans can still determine their own fate: a win over Lees-McRae gives Mount Olive the No. 2 seed regardless of what Belmont Abbey does Saturday against Coker. A tie or a loss to Lees-McRae and the Trojans would have to wait on Belmont Abbey's result to find out if they're the No. 2, 3 or 4 seed.

Mount Olive has clinched a first-round home match next Wednesday in the first round of the CVAC Tournament. If the forfeits are upheld and Mount Olive is the No. 2 or 3 seed, the Trojans will play host to Coker, Erskine or Pfeiffer. If Mount Olive is the No. 4 seed, the Trojans will play host to Barton.

Trojan women try

to set national record

MOUNT OLIVE -- No matter what the result is Saturday at Lees-McRae, the Mount Olive College women's soccer team will finish either second or third in the conference standings and will either tie or set an NCAA Division II record for the greatest single-season turnaround.

Mount Olive concludes regular season play Saturday as the Trojans head to Banner Elk, N.C., to take on Lees-McRae in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's soccer. Match time is 5:30 p.m., the Trojans' first night game of the season.

Mount Olive (16-3-0 overall, 7-2-0 CVAC) is coming off a 3-1 non-conference victory at North Carolina Wesleyan Wednesday as freshman Gina Dos Santos recorded her first collegiate hat trick and extended her goal-scoring streak to eight matches, the seventh-longest goal-scoring streak in NCAA II women's' soccer history. Last Saturday, the Trojans recorded their first-ever win over Queens as Melanie Cobb and April Jacobs scored two goals apiece in a 6-2 victory. Cobb, who ranks third in the nation in goals per game, also had an eight-match goal-scoring streak earlier this season.

Lees-McRae (3-10-2, 2-5-2) is among four teams battling for the final two spots in next week's eight-team CVAC Tournament. Currently in eighth place in the CVAC standings, Lees-McRae is coming off a 3-2 loss to second-place Pfeiffer Monday after battling ninth-place St. Andrews to a 0-0 tie last Saturday.

A Mount Olive win and a Pfeiffer loss or tie gives the Trojans a second-place finish in the conference standings and the No. 2 seed in next week's CVAC Tournament. A Pfeiffer win or a Mount Olive loss or tie gives the Trojans a third-place finish and the No. 3 seed. Regardless of where they finish, the Trojans have already clinched a home match in the first round of the CVAC Tournament next Tuesday at Trojan Field.

Because of the logjam in the conference standings, Mount Olive's first-round opponent won't be determined until the conclusion of conference play Saturday. The Trojans will play host to one of the following six teams: Anderson, Coker, Erskine, Lees-McRae, Limestone or St. Andrews.

Last year, Mount Olive was 3-15-0 overall and 0-11-0 in the CVAC. The NCAA II women's soccer record for the greatest improvement from one season to the next is 11 1/2 games when Metro State (Colo.) went from 6-13-1 in 2001 to 18-2-3 in 2002. The Trojans are already assured of at least an 11 1/2-game improvement and need just one more win to break the record.

Volleyball team has three tough matches

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College volleyball team has posted wins over the Nos. 5 and 6 ranked teams in the region in its last two matches. This weekend, the Trojans are at home for three matches against unranked but dangerous teams.

Mount Olive serves up its three-match weekend homestand this evening as the Trojans play host to Belmont Abbey in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference volleyball. Match time is 6:30 p.m. at College Hall.

Saturday, the Trojans have a day/night doubleheader as they play host to CVAC foe Queens at 1 p.m., then entertain Shaw in a non-conference match-up at 6 p.m.

Mount Olive (21-11 overall, 12-3 CVAC) defeated St. Andrews 3-1 Tuesday in a crucial CVAC contest. The win moved the Trojans ahead of St.

Andrews into sole possession of second place in the CVAC standings, one game behind conference leader Lees-McRae, who the Trojans defeated the previous week. Mount Olive is currently in a three-way tie at No. 7 in the NCAA II Atlantic Region, while Lees-McRae is No. 5 and St. Andrews is No. 6.

Heidi Busch continued her torrid hitting streak Tuesday, matching a career high and her own school record with 34 kills against St. Andrews.

Busch has recorded at least 20 kills in each of her last seven matches and has reached double figures in kills in 34 consecutive matches.

Belmont Abbey (5-15, 4-8) is on a streak of its own, winning a pair of come-from-behind five-game matches in as many nights this week. The Crusaders rallied from a 2-0 deficit against Pfeiffer Tuesday, then came back from a 2-1 deficit against Queens, including a 12-7 deficit in game five. Mount Olive defeated Belmont Abbey 3-0 in early September.

Queens (11-17, 5-9) plays at Barton this evening before heading to College Hall tomorrow. Mount Olive defeated Queens 3-0 in September as Busch led the way with 20 kills and Sam Mitchell had 16 kills. In last year's CVAC Tournament quarterfinal, Mount Olive had to rally from a two-game deficit to defeat Queens in five games.

Shaw (7-8) is coming off a three-game sweep over St. Paul's, holding St.

Paul's to a total of 30 points for the entire match. Mount Olive defeated Shaw 3-0 earlier this month.

All three matches this weekend are in-region contests and will be crucial with the next regional poll coming out Wednesday. The winner of next month's CVAC Tournament earns one of three automatic bids to the Atlantic Regional in the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship, while five more teams will receive at-large bids to the Atlantic Regional.