The UNCP volleyball team traveled to Mount Olive on Sept. 29, but fell short just short in nonconference action against the Trojans.
The Braves lost two consecutive sets after narrowly winning the first set, setting the stage for a 3-2 Mount Olive victory.
The Trojans took a 5-1 lead in the first set before the Braves went on a 7-1 run to take an advantage. Blocks by by sophomore Makayla Elliott and freshman Miranda Cada contributed to the offensive surge. .
The Braves would later make another run, this time 7-0, to make the score 15-9. The Trojans bounce back by scoring five consecutive points.
The teams traded rallies until they knotted the score. The hosts took a 24-23 lead but failed to get the match point. UNCP took advantage of a pair of errors to take the opening set 26-24.
The second set started in UNCP’s favor as the Black and Gold jumped out to an 11-5 lead. They struggled to sustain the momentum as the Trojans fought back to tie it all at 16-16. Mount Olive then rallied to take a 24-20 advantage before holding off a comeback attempt to earn a 27-25 win.
The Trojans didn’t let the Braves hang around in the third set. The hosts scored nine of the first ten points to take an early lead. Mount Olive didn’t give the Braves an opportunity to make a run, as they pushed their lead to 15-4 before ultimately winning 25-13..
The Braves took a 12-7 lead in the fourth set with four kills, three blocks and a pair of aces. The Trojans came within two, closing the deficit to 13-11. UNCP went back on the attack and won the set 25-16.
In the final set the Braves led early at 4-2 thanks to a trio of kills by Madelyn Ashwell (2) and Savannah Bean (1) as well as a block from Tyndall and Bean. The hosts rallied to score six of the next seven points. UNCP closed the gap to 8-6 but the Trojans rallied up seven of the next eleven points to win the set 15-10 and secure the match.
UNCP topped the Trojans in kills, aces, digs and assists. Elliott’s 17 kills, Amber Tyndall’s 13 kills, Cayce Bell’s 35 digs, Cada’s 35 assists and Bean’s five blocks all qualified as career-highs.
Ashwell registered a double-double with 12 kills 10 digs.
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