Volleyball Takes Out NC State 3-1

Friday, September 7

Raleigh, N.C.

7:00 PM

East Carolina University

North Carolina State

September 07, 2007 | Volleyball

Sept. 7, 2007

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - The East Carolina volleyball team recorded its second-straight win as it turned away NC State 3-1 on Friday evening in Reynolds Coliseum in the second match of the Holiday Inn Brownstone Volleyball Challenge. The Pirates improve to 4-5 on the season as the Wolfpack fall to 3-5.

ECU jumped out to a big lead in game one 15-8, forcing NC State to call a timeout. An 8-6 run by the Pirates induced another Wolfpack timeout with the score 23-14. A 9-3 run by NC State caused ECU to call a timeout of its own but the Pirates were able to close out the game 30-25 and take a 1-0 lead in the match. Sophomore Peyton Thompson led the way for the offense as she recorded five kills on eight attempts with two errors to hit .375. Junior Trish Monroe topped the defense with 10 digs while freshman Katie Koop provided 12 assists. The Pirates led the Wolfpack in hitting (.140 to .065) and defense (33-21) on the frame.

ECU would take the lead again to start game two 13-9. NC State would get within 25-20 but the Pirates closed out the frame with a 5-1 run to go into the locker room with a 2-0 match lead. Offensively, senior Kelley Wernert notched four kills on six attempts with no errors (.667) while Monroe and sophomore Hannah Fenker dug up three balls each. Koop added to her assist total, recording 13 on the frame. The Pirates hit a blistering .440 on 13 kills while holding NC State to .000. Additionally, ECU edged the Wolfpack on defense 8-7 and blocking 3-0.

The two teams came out of the break and matched each other point-for-point until the Pirates called a timeout with NC State leading 24-22. ECU would get within 29-28 but a Wolfpack kill gave them the game 30-28 and kept them alive in the match. Wernert exploded for 10 kills on 21 attempts with four errors (.286) as she moved into double-digit kills. Monroe added to her game-leading total, notching eight digs while Koop handed out 15 helpers. NC State held the slight edge in hitting (.302 to .268) and defense (19-18) while the Pirates won the battle at the net 2-1.

The Wolfpack never threatened in game four as the Pirates took leads of 10-6, 19-11 and 27-17 on their way to a 30-18 win in the frame and a 3-1 final match result. To close out the match, Wernert notched seven kills in the game while Monroe added three digs. Additionally, Koop finished the game with 15 assists. The Pirates hit .400 while holding the Wolfpack to .139. and also out-digging NC State 19-8.

Koop finished the match with a career-high 56 assists, eclipsing her previous mark of 51. Wernert also fell just one kill shy of her career-total as she notched 23 on the match. ECU will close out the Holiday Inn Brownstone Volleyball Challenge Saturday as it takes on Akron at 10 a.m. and Dartmouth at 5 p.m.