UMO: Ball's game-winning shot lifts No. 8 Trojans to road upset

By UMO Media Relations
Published in Sports on March 4, 2017 11:13 PM

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UMOMedia Relations

SPARKS, Md. -- Jacob Ball punched in the game-winning goal with 33 seconds left in overtime, and University of Mount Olive stunned No. 4-ranked Mercyhurst, 8-7, on Saturday afternoon.

Ball's goal, his second of the game, occurred after Davyd Powell picked up a ground ball and cleared the ball to keep possession for the No. 8-ranked and unbeaten Trojans.

Thatcher Clark supplied two goals and two assists. Gunner Parson, Jesse Mitchell, Austin Whitlow and Brett Kingston tallied one goal apiece.

UMO goalie Will Urban stopped 15 shots between the pipes.

Mercyhurst (2-1) owned a 6-3 advantage with 6:18 remaining in the third period. The Trojans (4-0) tied the game at 6-6 on unassisted goals from Clark and Ball, and Parson's goal off Clark's assist.

After a Mercyhurst goal, Clark hooked up with Jesse Mitchell for the game-tying mark with 10 seconds left in regulation.

The Trojans outscored Mercyhurst 8-4 over the final 19:27.

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Men's volleyball

MOUNT OLIVE -- Fabian Ramen just missed a double-double with eight kills and 10 digs as University of Mount Olive pounded in-state Conference Carolinas rival Pfeiffer University 25-15, 25-18, 25-17 on Saturday afternoon.

Robert Poole delivered a nine-kill performance for the Trojans, who climbed to 10-1 overall in conference play this season. Brad Monaghan and Alex Palmatier posted four kills apiece.

Jeff Yasalonis dished out 33 assists.

UMO had 41 kills as a team.

Bret Rutledge cranked out 17 kills during the Trojans' 25-22, 17-25, 25-15, 25-18 conquest of Belmont Abbey on Friday evening. Junior Robert Poole served a team-high five aces.

Palmatier notched 5.5 blocks.

Yasalonis and Shane Yeo combined for 33 assists.

The Trojans (12-6 overall) get a 13-day break before starting a four-game road swing at conference foe Emmanuel (Ga.) on March 17.

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All-Academic

HIGH POINT -- The University of Mount Olive placed five student-athletes on the 2017 Conference Carolinas All-Academic men's and women's basketball teams.

Emmanuel Patton, a junior in business management, represented the Trojan men.

The Trojan women were junior Rachel Fehl (business), sophomore Julie Gonzalez-Rodriguez (exercise science), junior China Marshall (exercise science) and junior Ni'Ya Styles (criminal justice).

Conference Carolinas All-Academic teams recognize juniors and seniors who have maintained a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The GPA is calculated based on the student-athlete's cumulative average through the previous semester.

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Indoor track

MOUNT OLIVE -- A total of 41 University of Mount Olive indoor track and field athletes have earned USTFCCA All-Region accolades -- just eight days before the 2017 NCAA Division II men's and women's national championship meet.

Jonathan Dahlke leads the men with five all-region honors. He is joined by teammates Adam Craig (three), Pol Domenech-Ferrer, Richard Fisher, Nick Greyno, Montre Holmes, Johnny Middlebrooks, Guillermo Rendon, Tedric Shannon and Jacob Urys.

The women grabbed 19 honors, led by Leah Hanle with five. Also on the all-region list are Bailee Henry (three), Malak Kafi (two), Khadijah Kale (two), Meredith Lorient, Alexis McNeil (three), Mictasha Mickle and Taylor Moncrief (three).

UMO's men are ranked 27th nationally in the newest USTFCCA Division II poll and No. 1 in the Southeast Region. The Trojan women are 77th nationally and No. 2 in the Southeast.

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Players honored

HIGH POINT -- Four members of the University of Mount Olive women's basketball team have earned either first-, second-, or third-team Conference Carolinas All-Conference accolades for the 2016-17 season.

Senior Daria Simmons and junior Felecity Havens received nods to the first team. Kiara Jones picked up second-team honors, while junior guard Ni'Ya Styles emerged as a third-team selection.

Simmons averaged 17.7 points a game this season and recorded the second-highest, single-game scoring output (40 points) in a game against Lees-McRae on Jan. 11.

Havens averaged a double-double -- 16.1 points and 10.8 points. She recorded a total of 15 double-doubles, which was third-most among Division II players nationally this season.

Jones also averaged a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) and shot 55.7 percent from the floor. In her final home game, she set the single-season rebound record (307 caroms) after wiping the glass for 20 boards against Erskine.

Styles averaged 17 points and reached the 1,000-point plateau for her career against King (TN) University on Feb. 21.