Lions Unable to Fend Off Trojan Charge

FLORENCE, S.C. - The Mars Hill volleyball team dropped their first match of the season 3-2 to Mount Olive on Friday morning in the FMU Invitational at the Smith University Center. 

Freshman Rebecca Butler, sophomore Mary Kate Griffin and senior Regan Macomson each finished with double figures in kills. Butler led the way with 14 kills and a team-high .161 hitting percentage in her Lion debut. Griffin, an All-SAC preseason second team selection, recorded 11 kills and six aces. Macomson finished with 10 kills. Sara Fahrenbrook had 30 assists in her first collegiate match. Christen Nicholson led all players with 30 digs. In addition to Butler and Fahrenbrook, three players made their Mars Hill debut: junior Devon Felts had six kills and three digs, freshman Lauren Hochstetler had seven kills and eight digs, while classmate Ellen Davis had one kill.

For Mount Olive, Britni Johnson led the way with 11 kills while Aubrey McKinney had six service aces. Montgomery Register tallied 12 blocks to lead the Trojan defense.

Mars Hill raced out to a 9-1 lead in the opening set before Mount Olive went on a 5-1 run to cut the Lion advantage to 14-13. The Lions scored the next five points to claim a 25-20 set one victory while hitting .294.

Mount Olive held the Lions to a -.067 hitting percentage in a 25-13 set two triumph to tie the match.

The Lions tied the third set at five following a Griffin kill and went on a 5-0 run to take a 10-5 lead. The Lions led by at least five points before the Trojans cut the Lion advantage to four, 24-20, before a Trojan attack error gave the Lions the set.

Leading 12-8 in the fourth set, the Trojans went on a 10-1 run to pull away for a 25-15 victory.

In the deciding fifth set, the Lions held a 9-5 advantage following a Mount Olive attack error. A Johnson kill gave the Trojans a side out, with three of Mount Olive's next four points coming as a result of Lion errors as they took the lead for good. Mars Hill was able to trim the deficit to one, 14-13, but Johnson's 11^th kill of the match gave Mount Olive the victory.

The Lions return to the court this afternoon, taking on Lander at 2 p.m.