Mount Olive College roundup

Published in Sports on January 13, 2006 2:03 PM

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No. 21-ranked Trojan men entertain Erskine (S.C.) in CVAC contest

Nationally 21st-ranked Mount Olive puts its 15-game home winning streak on the line Saturday as the Trojans play host to Erskine in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's basketball. Tipoff is 4 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.

Mount Olive (9-3 overall, 3-2 CVAC) is coming off an 87-82 loss Monday at No. 13 Barton. The Trojans trailed by 14 points with less than three minutes left, but made a furious rally to close the gap to four in the final seconds.

Senior guard Melvin Creddle led the Trojans with 25 points, his second 25-point performance in his last three games. Creddle is one of four Trojans averaging in double figures with 14.3 points per game.

Junior guard Elton Coffield continues to lead the Trojans with 15.5 points per contest. Coffield eclipsed the career 1,000-point mark 10 days ago.

Senior guard Maurice Horton had his streak of six consecutive double-figure games snapped against Barton, but is still averaging 12.4 points per game. Goldsboro senior Victor Young, who added to his career "highlight reel" with an off-balance one-hand alley-oop reverse slam dunk Monday, has a 12.3 scoring average.

In Mount Olive's three losses this season, the Trojans have given up an average of 93.7 points per game. In their nine wins, the Trojans have held their opponents to 66.7 points per contest, with only one team reaching 80 points.

Erskine (5-6, 3-2) fell 90-55 Thursday at Belmont Abbey. Craig Williams is averaging 18.8 points and 8.0 rebounds for the Flying Fleet, which defeated two-time defending conference champion Pfeiffer by 12 points Monday.

Mount Olive won both meetings last year and has beaten Erskine five consecutive times over the last two seasons. The Trojans won 68-60 at Mount Olive and rallied from an 11-point deficit for an 83-73 win at Erskine. Coffield scored 23 points in the first meeting and 22 in the rematch.

Mount Olive won its final eight home games last season and has won its first seven home contests this season. Saturday's contest also marks the Trojans' 23rd consecutive game as a nationally ranked team.

Lady Trojans

look to end skid

The Mount Olive women's basketball team opened the season with a 7-1 record, averaging more than 70 points per contest in its first eight games. During the team's current four-game losing skid, the Trojans are averaging 55 points per game.

Perhaps there's a simple solution to end the losing streak: score more points.

Mount Olive returns to action Saturday as the Trojans play host to Erskine in a Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's basketball contest. Tipoff is 2 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.

Mount Olive (7-5 overall, 2-3 CVAC) is coming off a 64-43 loss Monday at Barton. The Trojans were down by only five early in the second half when Barton scored 13 unanswered points to break the game open.

Senior forward Teneal Boone, who is averaging 15.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this season, notched her sixth double-double of the season Monday with 11 points and 12 rebounds. She scored the Trojans' first eight points of the game.

Sophomore guard Keona Corley, who has a pair of double-digit assists games this season, matched a career high with 10 points against Barton.

Corley became the eighth Trojan this season to post a double-figure scoring game. Along with Boone and Corley, senior Anita Rogers, junior Ebony Green, sophomore Sierra Medeiros and freshmen Alisa Jones, Tomeka Prichard and Meaghan Vanderhorst have all reached double digits at least once this year.

During their first eight games, the Trojans scored at least 60 points on seven occasions, including an 81-point game and three contests over the 70-point mark. The Trojans have been held under 60 points three times during their four-game losing streak. Monday's marked Mount Olive's lowest point total of the season.

Erskine (4-6, 2-3) fell 70-56 Thursday at Belmont Abbey. Kristy Vaughn (21 points) and Lauren Brendle (20 points) combined for 41 of Erskine's 56 points. Last Saturday, Erskine handed CVAC leader Barton its only conference loss.

Mount Olive and Erskine split their two meetings last year, each team winning by double figures on its home floor. The Trojans won 57-41 at Mount Olive, while Erskine won the rematch 68-46. Boone had a double-double in the first meeting with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Volleyball team

opens season

The Mount Olive College men's volleyball team begins its 2006 season this weekend as the Trojans head north for a pair of matches. Mount Olive heads to Newark, N.J., Saturday to take on New Jersey Institute of Technology. Monday, the Trojans are in East Stroudsburg, Pa., for a match-up against East Stroudsburg University. Match time both days is 2 p.m.

Mount Olive posted a 5-10 in 2005, its first-ever season of varsity competition.

The Trojans return 6-5 middle hitter Julio Arnaiz, 5-10 libero Kris Suarez and 6-1 setter Zach Wilson. In addition, 6-3 middle hitter Nick Bartley, who redshirted last year, is expected to see action this season. The Trojans also have seven freshmen on the roster.

Mount Olive is led by third-year head coach Sasha Gutor and first-year assistant coach Gordon Kirby.

The Trojans' first 10 matches are on the road. Mount Olive's first home contest takes place March 20 at Kornegay Arena.