CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The University of Mount Olive men’s volleyball team picked up its first victory of the 2026 season Friday afternoon, sweeping Daemen University in straight sets (25-18, 25-14, 25-23) at the UC Invitational, hosted by the University of Charleston.
The Trojans delivered a balanced and efficient performance, hitting .273 as a team while holding Daemen to a .076 attack percentage. Mount Olive controlled the match from the opening serve, dominating the first two sets before withstanding a late push in the third to complete the sweep.
Brooks Ignosci and Kory Grant paced the offense with 11 kills apiece. Grant added four digs and three service aces, while setter Jackson Lahey orchestrated the attack with 31 assists. Libero Luca Colombo anchored the defense with 10 digs.
Mount Olive totaled 6.5 team blocks and limited Daemen to a .160 hitting percentage in the first set and a -.033 mark in the second.
The Trojans jumped out early in the opening set and never trailed, using a strong service run to pull away for a 25-18 win. An 11-3 run sparked by Grant and Matthew Ekberg provided the separation UMO needed. Mount Olive was even more dominant in the second set, hitting .318 and cruising to a 25-14 victory.
Daemen mounted a challenge in the third set, but the Trojans stayed composed down the stretch, closing out the match with a 25-23 decision to seal the straight-set win.
The victory marks an important milestone for Mount Olive as the Trojans move into the win column and gain momentum heading into the remainder of their nonconference schedule.
Mount Olive will conclude play at the UC Invitational on Saturday, facing McKendree at 2 p.m.
