MOC finishes off sweep

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 1, 2010 1:50 PM

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MOC Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mike Knox tied a school record with three home runs, and Mount Olive matched a single-game program mark with six round-trippers in a 17-4 shellacking of Shippensburg (Pa.) University on Sunday afternoon.

The No. 9-ranked Trojans swept the non-conference series and remained unbeaten in 14 outings this season.

Knox and Jeremy Nowak belted back-to-back homers in the first and second innings, while Bobby Leeper added a solo shot. The trio has combined for 20 of Mount Olive's 28 home runs this season.

Tyler Smith spearheaded a 23-hit attack with a 5-for-5 performance at the plate. Knox ended the day 4-for-5 with three RBI. Dan Hayduk contributed three hits in six at-bats. Nowak, Airlon Vinson, Daniel Coffey and Ryan Faison contributed two hits apiece.

Mount Olive scored a run in seven of eight innings against five Shippensburg hurlers. Meanwhile, Craig Beasley claimed the mound win behind starter T.J. Hinson. Beasley tossed three-plus innings of scoreless, three-strikeout relief for his first victory of the season.

The Trojans entertain Catawba on Wednesday. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.

Men's volleyball

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Camilo Guerci cranked out a career-best 13 kills and tied the school's single-match record for hitting percentage, leading Mount Olive past Conference Carolinas volleyball rival King (Tenn.) College 30-20, 25-30, 30-22, 30-21 on Saturday evening.

Guerci recorded only one error in 14 attempts, giving him a hitting percentage of .857 -- equaling the mark established by fellow senior Jose Lanier nearly one year ago against Division I St. Francis (Pa.) University.

Christiaan Rombaut pounded out a match-high 16 kills and Noel Garcia added nine kills and 15 digs defensively for the Trojans, who remained unbeaten in four league outings this season. Adam Miracle and Lanier supplied nine and seven kills, respectively.

Senior setter Alex Hoekstra dished out 49 assists.

Mount Olive continues its month-long, 10-match road swing March 4 at league rival Limestone (S.C.) College. The Trojans won the previous meeting 3-1 after dropping the opening set.

Men's tennis

DUE WEST, S.C. -- Thiago Dualiby and Luiz Mariano each overcame a one-set deficit in singles play, and sparked Mount Olive to a come-from-behind, 5-4 triumph over Conference Carolinas rival Erskine (S.C.) College.

Dualiby dropped the opening set against Angelo Ciarrocchi at No. 3 singles, but rebounded for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win. Mariano, the No. 5 seed, went the same route in a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 triumph.

The Trojans captured four of six singles points.

Fourth-seeded Diogo Sender and sixth-seeded Diogo Miranda each collected a straight-set decision in singles. Miranda-Sender secured MOC's lone doubles point.

The Trojans (1-3 overall, 1-0 CC) face USC Aiken on Tuesday and Augusta State (Ga.) University on Wednesday. Both matches will be played in Sumter, S.C.

Women's golf

VASS -- Emelie Andersson placed ninth overall and Valentina Urquiola tied for 11th during the St. Andrews Presbyterian College Women's Golf Spring Invitational contested this weekend.

Andersson carded a 36-hole round of 166 and jumped seven spots after ending first-round play tied for 16th. Urquiola, who entered the day among the top five golfers, posted a two-day score of 169. Teammates Tegan Skirpstas (195) and Lindsay Becker (199) also contributed to the Trojans' team score.

MOC claimed third in the seven-team field with a 729.

The Trojans return to action March 8-9 at the Pfeiffer University Invitational.