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Mount Olive showed just how potent its offense can be in a showdown between two of the top teams in the ConfCarolinas.
Setter Jackson Lahey guided the offense to a season-high .449 attack percentage as Mount Olive swept the defending conference champions Belmont Abbey 25-22, 25-17, 25-19 on Friday in Belmont, North Carolina.
The Trojans (7-2, 3-0 ConfCarolinas) hit more than .400 in all three games to extend their winning streak to six matches. In addition, the team in the final two games committed a combined six attack errors – five more errors than the Crusaders (4-5, 2-1 ConfCarolinas).
Outside attacker Tate Sandvig led all players with a season-high 17 kills on a .346 attack percentage. Sandvig opened the match with a game-high seven kills in the first game, including the game-winning kill to cap off a 4-0 run that closed out the game.
Middle attacker Constantinos Iacovou contributed 10 kills and zero errors on a match-high best .833 attack percentage. Pin-hitter Kory Grant also had 11 kills and hit .346 against the Crusaders.
Belmont Abbey in the loss hit .220 and was held to less than a .175 attack percentage in each of the final two games.
Middle attacker Jibriel Elhaddad had a team-high eight kills, while outside attacker Zach Puentes added seven kills.
Mount Olive with this victory remains in first place in the ConfCarolinas and ends Belmont Abbey’s 17-match conference winning streak. The Crusaders had not lost a ConfCarolinas match since their conference opener last season.