GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University volleyball team returned from a competitive showing in its season-opening tournament over the weekend and will now make its home debut against East Carolina University in the LeRoy T. Walker Physical Education and Recreation Complex on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Promotion The first 50 fans will receive a voucher to purchase a discounted general admission ticket for $17 ($5 savings) to the NCCU football home opener on Sept. 5 versus Saint Augustine's University at 6:00 p.m. in the sixth annual Prince Hall Shriners Diabetes Football Classic. For complete ticket information, call the NCCU Ticket Office at 919-530-5170 or visit
www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
Match Details 7:00 PM – Tuesday, Sept. 1East Carolina University at North Carolina Central
L.T. Walker Physical Education and Recreation Complex
Free Admission
LIVE AUDIO |
LIVE STATSSERIES: ECU is 4-0 against the Lady Eagles since NCCU started competing at the NCAA Division I level (since 2007). The Pirates last defeated NCCU, 3-0, on September 30, 2014 in Greenville, North Carolina.
North Carolina Central University Volleyball The Lady Eagles went 0-3 in the University of South Carolina Gamecock Invitational over the weekend, losing in straight sets to North Carolina State University, USC and Southeastern Louisiana University.
Junior setter
Casey Curran was named to the Gamecock Invite All-Tournament Team after averaging 6.11 assists and 1.67 digs per set over her first nine sets in a Maroon and Gray uniform.
Four Lady Eagles have accounted for 71 of NCCU's 73 total kills this season. The quartet consists of junior
Kelsey Murphy (24 kills, 2.67 kills per set), freshman
Sydney Sumner (23, 2.56), senior
Kelly Rossip (14, 1.56) and freshman
Whitney White (10, 1.11).
The Lady Eagles, who are hitting .088 on the season, are allowing their opponents to hit at a .261 clip and serve up nearly three aces per set. Defensively, freshman libero
Tamika Brekke tops NCCU with 4.56 digs per set. Murphy, a 2014 MEAC all-conference honoree, follows with 2.22 digs per set.
NCCU (0-3) will be trying to snap a nearly three year losing streak to non-conference opposition. The Lady Eagles are 0-43 against non-MEAC members since last defeating Tennessee State University on Sept. 8, 2012.
However, NCCU has played better volleyball in Durham going 4-6 in home matches last year.
Second year head coach
Nicki Holmes has a young squad and he played eight newcomers – seven freshman and a transfer – in the Gamecock Invite.
East Carolina University Volleyball The Pirates will be continuing a five-match road swing to start the season after defeating Savannah State University, 3-0, on Sunday. ECU (1-0) went 15-16 in 2014.
ECU returns a strong defense that is led by senior libero Erika Figueroa, who averaged 3.74 digs per set last season and continued her strong play with a team-high 11 digs against SSU. The Pirates have a strong front-row defense as well returning sophomore Natalie Montini and junior Ashley McRae that averaged 0.96 and 0.72 blocks per set, respectively.
Head coach Julie Torbett is coaching a veteran squad in her third season at East Carolina. The Pirates also return their top two hitters from a year ago in junior Sydney Darden (2.74 kills per set) and sophomore Ashton Mares (2.53 kills/set). Mares paced ECU with an 11-kill performance in the season opener while Darden did not play. McRae (7 kills), Montini (5 kills) and senior Kierra Lee-Dunson (6 kills) provided offensive depth to a Pirates attack that hit .333 against SSU.
Junior Sabrina Gonzalez jumped right into the primary setter position for ECU after transferring from UNC Pembroke and supplied 19 assists (6.33 assists/set) in Sunday's sweep.
