Volleyball Splits, Wins East Carolina Invitational

Sept. 20, 2008

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The Pirate volleyball team closed out the East Carolina Invitational, splitting a pair of matches and finishing the weekend with a 2-1 record. In the day’s early match, the Pirates faced Morgan State and won 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-18) before squaring off against N.C. State in the night match and falling 3-2 (25-21, 25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 15-11) in heartbreaking fashion. With the split, ECU’s record now sits at 11-5.

Despite the loss to the Wolfpack, due to tiebreakers, ECU was still the winner of the invitational, and was the champion in both tournaments it hosted this season. The win over Morgan State also allowed East Carolina to tie the school record for consecutive home triumphs at nine.

In the Morgan State match, the Pirates were in control throughout. The first set was tied 2-2 before ECU gained control and then held leads of 11-3 and 19-9 before winning 25-13. East Carolina’s offense was led by Britney Roper’s five kills, but defense was really the story in the opening set. Trish Monroe, Stephanie Turner and Roper all had three digs while Erica Banning added two block assists. In the set, the Pirates held the Bears to just three kills and a -.200 hitting percentage.

The second set remained close until the halfway mark, as the score was tied at every point from 1-14. After the 14-14 tie, ECU outscored Morgan State 11-3 to win the set 25-17. Roper again paced the offense with four kills and Banning trailed right behind with three. Monroe picked up five digs in the set and Katie Koop chipped in with three of her own.

In the final set, after being tied at four, the Pirates established a 12-9 lead, which then quickly turned into a 22-11 advantage. A Morgan State rally made the score 23-15. ECU then closed out the set with a Hannah Fenker service ace and a Roper kill, giving East Carolina the 25-18 win. During the set, Melissa Zentner recorded her first career service ace during a string in which she served six consecutive times for the Pirates.

Overall, Roper was the offensive star, as she recorded 13 kills and had a hitting percentage of .385. Monroe paced the defense with 15 digs and Bobbie Jo Stall added three block assists.

In the nightcap, the first set began with ECU playing it close with the Wolfpack, never being able to establish a lead of more than three points. With the score tied 14-14, the Pirates rattled off three straight points before the Wolfpack answered back with three points of their own, forcing a tie at 17 all. The set would also be tied at 19 and 20 each before N.C. State won five of the last six points of the set to win 25-21. In the set, the Pirates had six players with two kills and Monroe tallied a team-high eight digs.

The Pirates got off to a hot start in the second set as they took a 7-2 lead before N.C. State stormed back to tie the score at 8-8 before going ahead 12-9. The Wolfpack then extended its lead to 20-14. The Pirates staged a rally of their own, however, and trailed by just one point at 22-21. East Carolina could not force the tie at 22, though, and fell by a final score of 25-22. The Pirates again had multiple players with two kills in the set and Monroe and Lutzow each added four digs.

Set three again showed ECU getting off to a strong start, pulling out to an 8-3 lead. Just like in set two, N.C. State charged back and closed to within one point at 10-9. The Pirates pushed their lead back out to 12-9, but could not extend it past those three points, and the Wolfpack tied the score at 20. From there, it was all Pirates, as the team won five of the next seven points to take the set 25-22. Zentner pounded home five kills in the set, including the winner, and Lutzow added four, as well as five digs. Monroe topped the team with six digs in the set.

The Pirates continued pouring on the points in set four, as they again opened up the action with an 8-3 lead. ECU then pushed the lead out to 12-6, 16-9 and 20-12 before the Wolfpack clawed their way back. N.C. State knotted the score at 23 before back-to-back Lutzow kills gave the Pirates the win. Zentner and Lutzow again paced the offense, with four kills apiece.

In the fifth and final set the action was tight, as the teams were tied at nine, without either team having a lead of more than two points prior to the deadlock. The Pirates could not complete the comeback, however, as N.C. State pulled out the hard-fought 15-11 victory.

For the match, Zentner played outstanding, as she collected 16 kills and five blocks, including two solos. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament for her efforts over the weekend. Lutzow also collected the first double-double of her career in the match, with 13 kills and 15 digs. Monroe also added another 20-dig match to her season total, bringing it to seven, as she finished with 21 digs. Lutzow and Monroe also joined Zentner on the East Carolina Invitational All-Tournament team.

East Carolina now has nearly a full week off before returning to the court, as their next match is at home against UAB on Friday, Sept. 26. Memphis then comes to town on Sunday to kick off the first full week of Conference USA action.

East Carolina Invitational All-Tournament Team
Dina Beamon – Morgan State
Aiwane Iboaya – N.C. State
Jalicia Ross – Marshall
Elizabeth Fleming – Marshall
Amanda Lutzow – East Carolina
Trish Monroe – East Carolina
Melissa Zentner – East Carolina
Most Valuable Player – Melissa Zentner

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