Lions Open With Sweep of Mount Olive
FLORENCE, S.C.-- Mars Hill opened their 2013 season with a 3-0 sweep of Mount Olive in the opening game of the Francis Marion Tournament, held Friday morning at the Smith University Center.
The Lions earned 25-20, 25-18 and 25-21 victories. Marissa Wixson had 14 kills on an efficient .414 attack percentage to lead MHU offensively, while Toni Cole added 12 kills. Defensively, Mars Hill was paced by Maggie Murphy's 12 digs. Six players made their Lion debuts in the victory- Victoria Kaiser (two kills), Natalie Rhew (two kills), Courtney Worthington (19 assists), Hannah Rowe (three digs), Andie Russell (13 assists) and MaryKate Griffin (five kills). Mars Hill opens the season 1-0, while Mount Olive falls to 0-1.
Mount Olive was paced by Lauren Lee with eight kills. Charnel Austin added 10 digs for the Trojans. Mars Hill hit .248 overall in the match, while holding Mount Olive to a .102 clip.
Neither team was able to gain much separation during the first set, until a three-point run by the Lions turned a 16-all tie into a 19-16 advantage. Kills by Wixson and Kaiser and service ace by Wixson accounted for the Lion points during the run. Kaiser had two kills and seven digs in her MHU debut. The Trojans would get no closer than three the rest of the set, with MHU taking it by a 25-20 score.
The Lions hit .400 on their way to the 25-18 victory in the second set. MHU led by as many as 11 during the set. Five of Wixson's kills came during the second set, while Christen Nicholson added six of her 10 digs. Mount Olive was held to a .029 attack percentage.
MHU broke open a 14-all tie to take eight of the next 11 points and open up a 22-17 lead in the final set. Wixson had four kills during that stretch, while Griffin added a kill and a service ace. The Trojans rallied back to within 22-20 but the Lions were able to hold MOC there, with Cole putting away the match-winning point.
Mars Hill will continue play in the Francis Marion Tournament this afternoon when they take on the host Patriots at 4:00 p.m.
