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Mount Olive got a little more vengeance for last year’s postseason.
Outside attacker Dominic Hagerty in a rematch of the 2021 ConfCarolinas Tournament finals finished with a match-high 16 kills as Mount Olive swept Belmont Abbey 25-22, 25-20, 25-19 on Friday in Mount Olive, North Carolina.
This was the second time the two teams have played each other since Belmont Abbey upset the regular season champions Mount Olive to win the ConfCarolinas title and clinch the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth. The Trojans (9-3, 7-1 ConfCarolinas) also beat the Crusaders (12-9, 4-5 ConfCarolinas) in four games in February to start their current nine-match winning streak.
Mount Olive out-hit Belmont Abbey .282 to .200 in the latest victory, including limiting the Crusaders to a match-low .107 attack percentage in the final game.
Hagerty was the only player with double-digit kills. Outside attacker Tyran Gillespie also had eight kills on a .462 attack percentage, while opposite Justin Gregory added seven kills and a match-high three aces to help Mount Olive remain in sole possession of first place.
Both opposite Andrew Kohut and outside attacker Matteo Miselli led Belmont Abbey with nine kills. The two pin hitters, though, were held to a combined .111 attack percentage and each hit more than .100 percentage points below their season averages.
Mount Olive setter Jarrod Ferguson led all players defensively with 10 digs.
The Trojans won this conference match without Preseason All-American outside attacker Tobi Azeez. Azeez has not played since Feb. 25 and has missed the last five matches.
Mount Olive will continue its home stand as it plays second-place North Greenville on Saturday. The winner of this match will be in sole possession of first place.
Belmont Abbey with this loss remains in fourth place in the ConfCarolians but has lost four of its last five conference matches. Belmont Abbey entered this match after sweeping North Greenville on Tuesday.