Trojan women get first win of season

Published in Sports on September 2, 2007 2:01 AM

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MOC Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- Freshman Alyceia Higgins delivered two goals less than five minutes apart, leading Mount Olive to a 2-0 decision over USC Aiken at Amon Field.

Trojan keeper Ali O'Steen recorded six saves and earned her first shutout of the year. Mount Olive (1-2-0 overall) snapped a two-game skid and won its first-ever meeting in seven tries against USCA, which leads the series 1-5-1.

Lyndsay Brennan and Kate Painter each fired shots on goal in first 20 minutes, but USCA keeper Nicole Westphal made diving saves on both attempts. Higgins misfired late in the opening half and O'Steen tipped a USCA shot over the crossbar, which led to a scoreless draw at halftime.

USC Aiken had a pair of shots in the first 90 seconds of the second half, but O'Steen preserved the shutout with a pair of saves, setting the stage for Higgins.

Jackie Jimenez captured a loose ball deep in the USC Aiken half and played it forward to Higgins at the top of the box. Higgins escaped a defender and got past the keeper to walk the ball in and put the Trojans on top 1-0 in the 56th minute.

A counter-attack led to the next Mount Olive goal as Gina Dos Santos dribbled down the right sideline and crossed the ball to Higgins, who scored from 15 yards out in the 58th minute.

O'Steen stopped USCA's final shot in the 73rd minute.

Mount Olive visits Catawba, ranked No. 9 in the Southeast Region, on Tuesday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Volleyball finishes 2-2

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- Sam Mitchell recorded a career-high 29 kills for the second time in two days and Mount Olive owned a two-game edge, but Tusculum rallied for a 21-30, 26-30, 30-23, 30-26, 15-12 victory in the final match of the Carson-Newman Invitational on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the Trojans (3-5 overall) suffered a 30-16, 30-23, 30-23 loss to tournament host CNU.

Mitchell emerged the top hitter with 13 kills, while Racey Bartley and Corie Skislak collected seven and six blocks, respectively.

Bartley reached double figures in blocks (10) in the five-set loss to Tusculum. She broke the school record (13) on Friday in a victory against Fairmont State. Joanie Werling and Skislak contributed seven blocks apiece.

Werling dished out 43 assists and Mallory Peavler led the defense with 20 digs.

Mitchell established a career high for kills (29) against Fairmont State (W. Va.) University, then matched her previous career best (27) later in the day with 27 kills against Alderson-Broaddus (W. Va.) University.

Mitchell, a senior, averaged 5.7 kills per game during the tournament.

While disappointed in the loss to Tusculum, Mount Olive assistant coach Sara Christie said it may have been the Trojans' best effort of the young season.

"We played Trojan volleyball today,"said Christie, the school's all-time assists leader. "If we play with this kind of effort the rest of the season, we're going to have a good year."

Mount Olive opens the home portion of its season and its Conference Carolinas schedule on Wednesday against in-state rival St. Andrews Presbyterian College. The match begins at 6:30 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.