East Carolina University
Houston
Pirates Win Sixth Straight, Defeat Houston 3-1
October 22, 2006 | Volleyball
Oct. 22, 2006
East Carolina 3, Houston 1 (PDF)
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina volleyball team earned its first-ever win over Conference USA rival Houston 3-1 Sunday afternoon inside Minges Coliseum. ECU improves to 16-9 on the season and 7-4 in Conference USA action while Houston falls to 15-11 overall and 6-5 in conference play. The win today ensures that the Pirates will have back-to-back winning seasons, the first time it has happened since the 1970s. Three Pirates recorded double-digit kills as Jaime Bevan, Kelley Wernert and Mignon Dubenion contributed 14, 16 and 10 kills respectively.
ECU out-hit Houston .344-.255 and out-dug the Cougars 44-43 on the day. The Pirates' 17 blocks is a new school record. Bevan continued her strong blocking play by posting 11 total blocks. Setter Heidi Krug recorded 54 assists in the victory.
ECU jumped out to a 5-0 lead in game one and did not look back as it took the frame 30-22 and a 1-0 lead in the match. Houston would get within six at 24-18 but the Pirates shut the door late. The Pirates recorded a whopping 18 kills in the game.
Houston would regroup to take game two 30-20. The Cougars raced to a 13-2 lead and cruised to tie the match 1-1. However, ECU would come back to get within 21-17.
The Pirates would not be denied at home as ECU closed out the match with 30-21 and 30-27 wins in games three and four respectively.
"This was a great team effort today," said ECU head coach Chris Rushing. "I would like to give credit not only to our starting players but also the rest of the team for pushing them get better in practice."
East Carolina will look for its seventh straight Conference USA victory as it continues its four-game homestand, as the Pirates attempt a season sweep of Southern Miss. The match is set for 7 p.m. inside Minges Coliseum.
