Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Freshman Jordan Robison spiked a season-high six kills for host Barton College in a 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-11) Conference Carolinas men's volleyball loss to visiting Mount Olive College on Thursday evening in Wilson Gym.
Mount Olive hit .541 and senior setter Jackson Metichecchia recorded assists on 37 of the Trojans 40 kills.
Robison recorded six kills in his first match at his intended position of outside hitter upon the debut of freshman setter Chandler Thomas, who had been recovering from an arm injury. Thomas totaled 11 assists in his first collegiate action.
Thomas and freshman libero Dante De Luca each had three digs for the Bulldogs. Sophomore outside hitter Alx Draughan chipped in four kills.
Barton (0-8 Overall, 0-5 Conf.) entered the contest ranked ninth nationally out of 30 NCAA Division I men's volleyball programs in services aces per set but the Bulldogs did not serve up a single ace against Mount Olive. The Bulldogs were also held without a block for the first time this season.
Mount Olive (3-9, 2-2) held the hosts to a negative .071 hitting percentage while notching 40 kills on 61 attempts with only seven bad swings for a staggering accuracy of .541. Junior Adam Miracle led the Trojans with 11 kills and freshman Lukas Hoelzl had eight kills and a team-high 12 digs.
MOC added 12 team blocks including two solo blocks and six block assists from senior John Nunns.
Thomas recorded assists on his first two set attempts to Robison as Barton took early leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the first set before the Trojans scored the next five points and pulled away. Mount Olive never trailed in the middle set and hit .600 in the 15-point win. A pair of 7-0 runs in the final frame sealed the straight set win for the visitors.
Barton will play its last home match of the season on Saturday when the Bulldogs host league foe King College at 3 p.m.
