ANDERSON, S.C. -- Junior outside hitter Jamie Lancaster
registered 12 kills and three other Trojans combined for 15 to help
lead Anderson past Mount Olive, 3-0, (25-18, 25-22, 25-22) in
Conference Carolinas volleyball action Friday night at the Abney
Athletic Center. The Trojans took advantage of attacking and
serving errors by Mount Olive to hand the visitors just their
second setback in league play this season. "We played with a lot of
intensity and energy," Anderson head coach Craig Mosqueta said. "We
stuck to our game plan and didn't make a lot of errors." Anderson
(11-8, 6-4 Conference Carolinas) scored the first point of the
match on a kill by freshman Paulette Rivers and never trailed
during the opening set. The Trojans pushed out to a 9-6 lead behind
the strong serving of Shelby Netherton and gained their largest
advantage of the set on a serving error by Mt. Olive, 15-8. Mount
Olive (8-14, 8-2 Conference Carolinas) climbed to within 21-18, but
AU held them at bay and closed the set out with four consecutive
points, the last coming on an ace by sophomore Katie Rich. The
second set saw Anderson again jump to an early advantage, courtesy
of Mt. Olive miscues, and ease out to a 13-7 lead. The visitors
pulled to within three points eight times throughout the remainder
of the frame, but AU didn't wilt and held on for the 25-22 win.
Anderson was awarded the first point of the third and final set, as
Mount Olive was called for a delay of game violation, but MOC
scored the next two points to take its first lead of the evening.
The set was tied on seven occasions, the last time at 16-16, before
Netherton's kill gave AU a lead it would not relinquish. Lancaster
and Mt. Olive's Alicia Mote, the reigning conference Player of the
Week, each posted 12 kills, while Rivers, Marlie Bryant and Adria
Mullaney each notched five kills on the night. AU's Lindsay Doggett
and MOC's Joanie Werling each handed out 25 assists. Anderson gets
back on the court Saturday, when the Trojans play host to Barton at
the Abney Center. First-serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.