MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — After the Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball team ran away with the opening-set victory Friday night, the Trojans responded in the next three sets on their home court.
 
The University of Mount Olive rustled away those three, close sets as the Railsplitters fell 3-1, 25-19, 23-25, 33-35, 20-25, to snap their three-game winning streak inside Kornegay Arena.
 
Evan Cory and AJ Risavy led LMU (10-7) as each recorded a new season high in digs with 16 and 12, respectively. Cory also paced the Railsplitters with a team-high 19 kills and 22 points, and Risavy added his usual team-best in assists (49). Next was Jordan Walley with 11 kills, seven digs and 11 points, while Pedro Carvalho had seven kills, six digs, 12.5 points plus a team-high in service aces (2) and hitting percentage (.500) through all sets played.
 
The Trojans' production was even across the board as five players — Luke Visgitis, Tobi Azeez, Iyanu Adebisi, Brad Monaghan and Eric Visgitis — had double-digit kills and points with Adebisi leading the way with 19 kills and 21 points. Joel Roberts added a match-high 20 digs, while Shane Yeo led all players with his 59 assists for UMO (6-10).
 
The high-flying momentum from Wednesday's come-from-behind victory over Emmanuel flowed into Friday's match and steered the Railsplitters in the opening set. LMU jumped out on a quick 11-3 run — powered by four Cory kills and two more from Logan Kerley — to start the set and force a Mount Olive timeout. The early lead made it tough for the Trojans to get back into it, but they gained some ground, using a run of three and a pair of twos to come within less than five. However, UMO's .156 hitting percentage just wasn't enough to dismantle the visitor's .323 clip as LMU ran away with the 1-0 match lead.
 
For the first time Friday, LMU trailed early in the second set. The Railsplitters never took the lead as UMO carried its improved play from the end of the first set into the second and distanced itself from the get-go. LMU rattled off a 7-1 run midway through, forcing a Trojan timeout and knotting the set via an UMO attack error. But the Railsplitters never secured the advanatage as the Trojans upped their hitting percentage (.275) and limited LMU to just a .229 clip to even the match at 1.
 
It appeared the Railsplitters had bounced back from the set two disappointment; however, LMU's focus wavered once the 20s hit after leading the entire third set. The Trojans fought back, taking the 23-22 lead — via a Railsplitter attack error and forcing the set to go into the 30s. UMO hit at just a .208 clip, but held LMU to a set-low .196 percentage as a Luke Visgitis kill and Brad Monaghan put down the service ace to take the match lead.
 
The heart-breaking set three carried into what ended up being the Railsplitters' fourth and final set at Mount Olive. The Trojans ripped off a 6-0 run to start set four, and UMO never looked back. The Railsplitters vied to rally back but were unable to largely due to their match-low .074 hitting percentage and UMO's match-high .462 clip.

On Saturday, LMU will aim to bounce back at Lees-McRae in a 2 p.m. first serve.