The Mount Olive men's soccer team scored both of its goals in the first 13 minutes of the match and held off a strong Belmont Abbey rally to earn a 2-1 win this afternoon at Amon Field. The two teams played to a 0-0 double-overtime tie last year, but Mount Olive (4-2-0 overall, 1-1-0 Conference Carolinas) needed less than nine minutes to get on the scoreboard Saturday.

A foul just above the Belmont Abbey (2-3-1, 0-2-0 Conference Carolinas) box led to a Trojan direct kick and John Mendoza scored from 21 yards out above the top left of the box to put Mount Olive on top 1-0 at the 8:41 mark.

The Trojans added goal less than four minutes later when Angelo Acquah's service from midfield got past the Belmont Abbey defense. Scott Mitchell scored from 15 yards out at the 12:20 mark as the Crusader goalkeeper had to come off the line.

Mount Olive jumped out to an 8-1 shot advantage, but Belmont Abbey rallied to even the shot count at 11 apiece by halftime. A series of saves by Trojan goalkeeper Zac Scott a bit of bad luck kept the Crusaders off the scoreboard. Emmanual Yamson's shot in the 20th minute hit off the left post and Jack Reid's header on a corner kick in the 43rd minute deflected off the crossbar as Mount Olive carried a 2-0 lead into intermission.

Mount Olive had opportunities to add to its lead in the second half, but Belmont Abbey goalkeeper Louis Liberatore stopped back-to-back shots by Mitchell early in the half and the Trojans also missed an empty net opportunity later in the half. Belmont Abbey had a scoring chance on a six-yard indirect kick, but the shot rolled wide of the left post.

Belmont Abbey capitalized on a corner kick late in the match to avoid the shutout. After Devon Purslow's corner kick service was cleared back to the corner, Purslow played the ball to Yamson, who headed the ball in to cut the Trojans' lead in half at the 85:08 mark.

Belmont Abbey outshot Mount Olive 19-18 for the match. Scott finished with eight saves for the Trojans, while Liberatore had five saves for the Crusaders.