Limestone provides wake-up call for MOC men's volleyball team

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 20, 2010 11:06 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Take a set?

In our house?

How dare you.

Visiting Limestone took the opening set.

Mount Olive College definitely answered the wake-up call.

Christian Rombaut pounded out a match-high 16 kills and served a career-best seven aces in the Trojans' come-from-behind 27-30, 30-25, 30-22, 30-19 victory on the Conference Carolinas men's volleyball scene.

The Trojans improved to 3-0 this season overall and in league play.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Mount Olive claimed a 3-0 sweep at conference rival Pfeiffer and didn't seem too rested from the day-long journey.

"We were a little worn out," said Rombaut.

The Saints (3-3 overall, 1-1 CC) executed well in the opening set and the Trojans struggled to transition from defense to offense on several possessions. MOC pulled within a single point on three occasions, but Limestone claimed a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-five contest.

"Losing the first set woke us up," said Rombaut. "Things defensively weren't working and we were still kind of lazy from last night (Thursday). We started closing blocks, the defense got to where they needed to be and we finally put it together offensively."

Mount Olive recorded a combined 14 team blocks in the final three sets and limited Limestone to a .081 hitting percentage during that stretch. The Saints committed 26 hitting errors after the first set and 34 total for the match.

Middle blocker Jose Lanier logged two solo blocks and five block assists. Camilo Guerci contributed four block assists, one solo block and eight kills.

"I think all of us finally warmed up," said Rombaut. "The setters, hitters ... everybody. We were getting up high enough to hit the sets and we were able to put them away."

Offensively, Noel Garcia complemented Rombaut with an 11-kill effort. Setter Alex Hoekstra provided a double-double -- 35 assists, 10 digs. Guerci recorded eight kills and Alex Vazquez delivered six kills off the bench.

The Trojans begin a month-long, 10-match roadswing Feb. 27 at conference affiliate King (Tenn.) College.