University of Mount Olive’s Alexis Stanley, left, gets tripped up by St. Leo’s Fiona McLaughlin during their top-25 women’s lacrosse match played at the Ray McDonald Sports Complex on Friday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Morgan Paige, 25, gets by a defender and scores a goal against St. Leo (Florida) University on Friday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Teagan Dunnett, right, gets checked by a St. Leo (Florida) University defender during their top-25 contest played Friday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Rileigh Kucera (15) and goalie Jane Hobbs (50) defend the net against a St. Leo (Florida) University player Friday afternoon. Hobbs set a new single-game school record with 22 saves. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Meagan Maxwell (2) changes direction against a St. Leo (Florida) University defender Friday afternoon. The No. 20-ranked Trojans fell, 10-8, in their season opener. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive and St. Leo (Florida) University played the first game of the season between top-25 teams Friday afternoon. St. Leo exited 2-0 and improved to 5-0 all-time against UMO. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Despite the threat of inclement weather throughout the weekend, the University of Mount Olive athletic teams dodged the raindrops and competed on the lacrosse turf and baseball diamond.
The Trojan basketball teams claimed a doubleheader sweep of in-state Conference Carolinas rival Lees-McRae.
Women’s lacrosse
The first match of the season involving two nationally-ranked Division II teams didn’t disappoint a smattering of fans in attendance at the Ray McDonald Sports Complex.
Unless, you favored the Trojans.
No. 25-ranked St. Leo (Florida) University seized a three-goal lead less than five minutes into the opening quarter and escaped with a 10-8 victory. UMO entered ranked No. 20 by Nike/USA Lacrosse and No. 23 by Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA).
“Saint Leo came out firing and got the quick lead on us, but defense is what kept us in the game,” said UMO head coach Heather Coppola. “Our defense played lights out, making major stops when we needed it, but we just came up short on offense.”
The Trojan defense forced several shot-clock violations and received a stellar performance from Jane Hobbs. In her first career start, the junior from Hampstead set a new school record for saves (22) in a single game.
Hobbs fended off two St. Leo shots within a 45-second span.
The stops quickly fueled the UMO offense, which closed a three-goal gap to 9-8 with 5:23 left in regulation. Zoe Dougherty punched in a goal off Raleigh White’s assist. Ellie Fedorowski’s goal shaved the deficit to one.
St. Leo scored with 1:58 on the clock.
The Lions improved to 5-0 all-time against the Trojans and claimed their seventh straight triumph over a Conference Carolinas program since 2012.
“We had a game plan offense to slow the ball down and try to take over tempo, but we didn’t get as many shots off as we hoped for, but that’s February lacrosse,” Coppola said. “We aren’t perfect yet and that’s OK. We have to fine-tune some things this week to prep for Florida Southern.
“We are ready for the test.”
Perennial Sunshine State Conference powerhouse Florida Southern visits Pickle Town on Friday. First draw is 4 p.m.
Men’s lacrosse
HICKORY — Aidain Lalonde’s man-up goal early in the third period spearheaded a second-half surge that lifted UMO past in-state foe Catawba, 9-6, on Saturday afternoon.
Lalonde scored off Caleb Tatum’s assist.
Chapman Parker and Matthew Ateshian each supplied an unassisted goal to cap a 3-0 run started by Lalonde.
The Indians pulled to within 7-5 before Braydon Hickey and Tatum each scored on consecutive man-up possessions. Lalonde assisted Tatum, whose goal provided a 9-5 lead with 4:40 left in regulation.
UMO (1-1 overall) defeated former Trojan head coach Mike Murphy, who started the program from scratch and departed last spring after winning 100 games.
The Trojans return home Saturday to face Wingate. Face-off is noon.
Men’s basketball
Kaeleb Carter led six UMO players in double figures with 23 points during a 101-80 romp over Conference Carolinas foe Lees-McRae on Saturday afternoon.
Colin Radcliffe tallied 17 points on 4 of 7 shooting from the 3-point arc. Aaron Murphy supplied 15 points. Shane Peterson logged 13 points, while Michael Brown and Trayvon Ferrell collected 12 points apiece.
Brown snatched six rebounds and dished out six assists. Carter, Ferrell and Murphy each pulled down five boards.
The Trojans forced 20 turnovers and converted 28 of 32 free throws.
UMO (9-17 overall, 7-10 CC) entertains Emmanuel College on Thursday. Tip-off is 7 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.
Women’s basketball
Laila Anderson tossed in a game- and team-high 24 points as the Trojan women evened their Conference Carolinas worksheet at 9-9 with an 80-67 triumph over Lees-McRae.
Reagan Hune just missed a double-double with 23 points and nine rebounds. Maleiya Hill chipped in nine points, including seven from the free throw line. Kaia Simpson registered eight points.
UMO owned a 21-3 edge in second-chance points.
The Trojans (13-14) continue play next Saturday afternoon at Erskine.
Baseball
WILSON — Four University of Mount Olive hurlers combined for 24 strikeouts during a non-conference twinbill sweep over Barton at Nixon Field on Saturday afternoon.
Starter Caleb Irwin (1-0) and reliever Dawson Gause combined for a nine-hit shutout in the opener. Irwin posted seven strikeouts in six innings. Gause tossed three innings of five-strikeout relief.
UMO notched the game-winning run off a Barton error in the third inning.
Dylan Jeffries connected on a two-out double to center field. He scampered home when Jack Casbarro reached base on an infield miscue.
Jeffries paced the Trojans with two hits.
Landon Choboy provided a ninth-inning RBI that plated Vito Patierno.
In the nightcap, preseason All-American selection Jack Casbarro and Joshua Jones each turned in a three-hit performance. Jones swatted his first home run of the season and Casbarro drove in three runs.
Starter Hayden Myrick logged 11 strikeouts in eight innings and permitted two earned runs on seven hits. Justin Koehler threw two-thirds of an inning and Blake Gipson recorded the final out.
The 20th-ranked Trojans (2-1) travel to Coker on Tuesday and entertain Conference Carolinas foe Emmanuel for a three-game weekend series.
