MOC roundup -- Trojans win again

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on October 15, 2006 2:01 AM

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LAURINBURG -- Chris Jasso scored the lone goal of the game in the fourth minute of overtime and Chase Smith recorded his first collegiate shutout as Mount Olive defeated regionally seventh-ranked St. Andrews 1-0 in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's soccer Saturday. The win is the Trojans' sixth in their last eight matches.

Mount Olive (9-7-0 overall, 3-5-0 CVAC) withstood a number of attacks in the first half, including a breakaway opportunity late in the half, but Smith tipped Marques Norwood's 15-yard shot just wide of the right post to preserve the shutout.

St. Andrews (11-5-1, 5-3-1) had a number of near goals in the second half, but a one-touch in front of an open goal went over the crossbar and Smith made a save on a 10-yard header to send the match into overtime.

St. Andrews nearly won the game in the first 30 seconds of overtime, but Justin Garton's free kick went just above the upper right of the crossbar.

After the two teams exchanged possessions, Adam Caston stole a service at midfield and played the ball forward to Jasso. Jasso beat the Knight defenders, then slipped past the goalkeeper to score from in front of the goal at the 93:38 mark.

Smith finished with five saves, while Nick Stevens recorded four saves for St. Andrews. Mount Olive was outshot 16-11 for the match.

The win gives the Trojans a 2-0 record in overtime matches this season. Mount Olive defeated UNC Pembroke 1-0 in double overtime in September.

With two regular season matches remaining -- both at home -- Saturday's win helps Mount Olive secure a berth in the eight-team CVAC Tournament. The Trojans entered play Saturday in a three-way tie for seventh in the CVAC standings.

Women's soccer

team prevails

LAURINBURG -- Jackie Jimenez and Kirsten White scored two goals apiece, while Caitlyn Wright added two assists to lead Mount Olive to a 4-1 victory over St. Andrews in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's soccer Saturday. The win is the Trojans' eighth in their last 10 matches.

Mount Olive (12-6-0 overall, 7-2-0 CVAC) broke a scoreless tie in the 29th minute when Lindsay Brennan played a ball back from the top of the box and Jimenez put the ball in the upper shelf from 22 yards out. The goal was the first of the season for Jimenez, who missed the Trojans' first 14 matches of the season due to an injury.

The Trojans added a goal in the 42nd minute as Wright's corner kick from the left corner found White for a header at the far post to give Mount Olive a 2-0 lead at halftime. Earlier in the half, Wright nearly scored an unassisted goal on a corner kick for the second time this season when her ball caromed off the far post.

St. Andrews (7-9-0, 3-6-0) cut the lead in half just 73 seconds into the second half when Mount Olive was whistled for a foul in the box. Meghan McAuliffe converted the penalty kick to pull the Knights within 2-1.

But the Trojans needed only 47 seconds to answer St. Andrews' as Wright served a free kick into the box and Jimenez punched home a loose ball from in front of the right post to give Mount Olive a 3-1 lead.

Mount Olive closed out the scoring in the 67th minute when Emily Escolas found White in the box for a 15-yarder.

The Trojans outshot St. Andrews 20-7. Ali O'Steen recorded three saves for Mount Olive. Garrison Burton tallied four saves for St. Andrews, while Meredith Yager finished with one save.

With the win, coupled with Barton's 2-1 loss to Pfeiffer Saturday, Mount Olive can clinch a home match in the first round of the CVAC Tournament with a win or a tie in its final two matches, both of which are at home.

Volleyball team

wins at home

MOUNT OLIVE -- Racey Bartley recorded a career-high nine blocks to lead Mount Olive to a 30-27, 30-12, 30-17 victory over Belmont Abbey in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference volleyball Friday at Kornegay Arena. Corie Skislak added eight blocks, while Sam Mitchell had a match-high 12 kills for the Trojans.

After Mount Olive (7-14 overall, 6-7 CVAC) scored the first point of the match, Belmont Abbey (3-16, 0-14) answered with a 5-0 run on Sawyer Coble's service. Mount Olive trailed by as many as five points before regaining the lead at 13-12. Belmont Abbey rallied to take a one-point lead, but Skislak's block broke a 22-22 tie and Mount Olive led the rest of the way. Anna-Marie Luft's kill down the left line on game point sealed the win in game one.

Luft helped the Trojans jump out to a fast start in game two with an early ace and solo blocks by Bartley on back-to-back points highlighted a 5-0 run and gave Mount Olive a 10-3 lead. Belmont Abbey never got any closer than six points the rest of the way and Luft served the final four points of the game.

In game three, Mitchell's ace sparked a run of seven unanswered points as the Trojans broke away from a 4-4 tie and built the lead to 16-6. Belmont Abbey came back to score eight of the next nine points, sparked by service runs by Monica Halligan and Emily Becher. But after a Mount Olive timeout, the Trojans outscored the Crusaders 13-3 the rest of the way to seal the match. Mitchell recorded back-to-back kills and Skislak had blocks on consecutive points during the match-clinching run.

Bartley, who has a .425 hitting percentage over her last six matches, finished with nine kills and only two errors in 14 attempts. Joanie Werling recorded 31 assists for the Trojans. Defensively, Nikki Murphy had 16 digs, while Mallory Peavler added 11 digs and Mitchell finished with 10 digs for her 15th double-double of the season.

Clarissa Stull led Belmont Abbey with seven kills and 11 digs, while Coble finished with 20 assists and one ace. Monica Halligan paced the Crusaders defensively with a match-high 22 digs, while Latoya Gordon and Ashleigh Oxtoby had three blocks apiece.

Mount Olive returns to action today against Converse in a CVAC matchup as the Trojans celebrate Senior Day and plays their regular season home finale. Match time is 4 p.m. at Kornegay Arena. Trojan seniors Anna-Marie Luft and Nikki Murphy will be recognized prior to the match. Belmont Abbey travels to Anderson Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in CVAC action.

Trojan hoopsters

ranked No. 19

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive is ranked No. 19 in the 2006-07 Division II Men's Basketball Preseason Top 25, it was announced Friday. The ranking marks the second consecutive year the Trojans have ranked in the preseason poll and the fourth year in a row they've been nationally ranked. Mount Olive was ranked as high as No. 5 in 2005-06.

Mount Olive posted a 25-7 record last season, surpassing the 20-win mark and reaching the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament for the third year in a row. The Trojans advanced to the East Regional semifinals after defeating nationally 18th-ranked Shippensburg (Pa.) in the first round. Mount Olive won the East Regional in 2005 and made its first-ever trip that year to the NCAA II Elite Eight.

The Trojans return three starters from last year's squad, including a pair of All-Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference selections. Preseason All-American Elton Coffield, a 6-4 senior from Williamston, N.C. (Williamston HS), enters this season with 1,353 career points. Coffield, who was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2005 NCAA II East Regional, is a two-time All-CVAC first team selection. Elijah Rouse, a 6-4 senior forward from Kinston (North Lenoir HS), was named to the All-CVAC second team last year. Chris Bartley, a 6-5 senior from Jacksonville (Jacksonville HS), started in 31 of 32 games last season.

Mount Olive begins its first official practice at 12:01 a.m. this morning and sees its first competition Oct. 30 as the Trojans play host to Athletes-In-Action in an exhibition game at Kornegay Arena. The Trojans also travel to Washington, D.C., Nov. 4 for an exhibition game. Mount Olive tips off its regular season Nov. 17-18 as the Trojans play host to the 41st Annual Pickle Classic.