Trojan spikers pick up two league wins

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on September 16, 2007 2:14 AM

• Print
• Email

MOUNT OLIVE -- Sam Mitchell recorded a match-high 18 kills and Alicia Mote contributed a double-double (13 kills, 11 digs) as Mount Olive swept Queens University 30-25, 30-23, 30-20 in a Conference Carolinas match Saturday afternoon.

The Trojans (7-8 overall) claimed their third consecutive conference victory in four tries.

Mount Olive flushed the Royals with runs of 10-2 and 5-0 in games one and two, respectively. In game three, Mote served three aces as the Trojans broke a 5-5 tie with an 8-0 surge.

Queens (2-14, 1-4 CC) battled within 13-8 but blocks from Corie Skislak and Mitchell, and an ace by Kari Ham pushed the Trojans back ahead by a comfortable margin. The lead never fell below five points the remainder of the three-set match.

Mallory Peavler, who served an ace on match point, paced the Mount Olive defense with 17 digs. Joanie Werling handed out 38 assists. Racey Bartley added four blocks and two aces.

Mariangelix Cordero served three consecutive aces during a game-two, 10-point spurt and Mount Olive withstood a late Pfeiffer rally to win 30-24, 30-28, 21-30, 21-30, 15-10 on Friday evening.

Mitchell provided a match-high 22 kills and Bartley added a career-best 17 kills in the five-set affair. Ham and Skislak recorded five blocks apiece.

Cordero's serving helped trim Pfeiffer's lead to 25-20 in game two. Ham provided a block and kill to cap the 10-point surge. Bartley's kill and ace gave Mount Olive a two-game lead.

After the Falcons knotted the match at 2-2, the Trojans grabbed a 12-6 lead in game five behind Mitchell (two aces) and Bartley (kill). Two sideouts later, Mote recorded her 10th kill on match point.

Werling handed out 31 assists, while Cordero dished out 26. Peavler led the defense with 16 digs.

Men's soccer

MOUNT OLIVE -- Michael Scharville delivered the game-winning goal less than two minutes into the second half and Belmont Abbey blanked Mount Olive 1-0 in Conference Carolinas play Saturday afternoon.

Trojan keeper Ryan McCrickard tallied a career-high 11 saves as the Trojans (3-4-0 overall, 0-2-0 CC) endured their fourth consecutive defeat.

After a scoreless opening half, Paul Goding crossed a ball from the right side to Scharville, who connected on a 15-yard shot just inside the right post. The Crusader defense preserved the one-goal advantage as Belmont Abbey improved to 5-3-0.

Mount Olive missed two shots within a 120-second span. Brad Carroll's blast sailed wide left of the post, while Belmont Abbey keeper Bryan Alenky (two saves) snatched Frank Stilley's header before it sailed into the net.

The Crusaders owned a 23-10 edge in shots on goal.

Mount Olive attempts to snap its four-game skid Wednesday at Francis Marion (S.C.) University. Game time is 4 p.m.

Women's soccer

MOUNT OLIVE -- Erin Kolb connected on the game-winning goal in the 40th minute as Belmont Abbey opened its Conference Carolinas season with a 1-0 victory over Mount Olive College.

Kolb scored on a pass from Jill Barnes about 15 yards out.

The Trojans (2-4-0 overall, 1-1 CC) missed two great chances to remain unbeaten in conference play. April Jacobs appeared to score in the 18th minute, but officials flagged Mount Olive for an offsides infraction. Emily Escola nearly tallied a game-tying goal with two seconds left, but it was blocked.

Mount Olive keeper Ali O'Steen, who has permitted one goal in her last 180 minutes of work, finished the match with five saves.

The Trojans entertain Wingate University at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Cross country

CONWAY, S.C. -- Theresa Thompson emerged Mount Olive's top female finisher and Louis Paul logged the best men's time during the Coastal Carolina University Cross Country Invitational on Friday.

Competing against mainly Division I runners, Thompson placed 25th out of 29. Paul ended up 32nd out of 33 competitors.