Volleyball Enters Crucial C-USA Weekend

Oct. 23, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. - The East Carolina volleyball team (9-12, 2-7 C-USA) kicks off its final road trip of the season, facing UCF Friday at 7 p.m. inside the Venue At UCF. The Pirates and Knights are tied in the Conference USA standings, as each squad owns a 2-7 league record.

Both teams are chasing Houston for the final spot in the 2009 Conference USA Tournament. The Cougars currently own a 4-5 record against the league and travel to Tulsa and SMU this weekend.

One of the Pirates' two C-USA wins has occurred against UCF, as ECU knocked off the Knights 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17) in Greenville on Sept. 25. Junior middle hitter Lizzy Bruin led the attack for the Pirates, notching 15 kills on 35 attempts with just six errors to post a hitting percentage of .257. She also completed her first double-double of the season, picking up 13 digs to tie for the team lead with sophomore Amanda Lutzow.

Erin Campbell and Kristin Fisher led the way for UCF in the match, as both players picked up double-doubles with 18 and 12 kills as well as 20 and 10 digs, respectively.

Looking Back:
East Carolina split a pair of league bouts last weekend, besting UTEP in a five-set decision on Friday before falling victim to a Tulane sweep on Sunday. Bruin paced the offense in the two contests, putting down 23 kills on 40 attempts with just three errors for a sparkling .500 mark. Senior setter Hannah Fenker also played well, turning in two double-doubles to raise her team-leading total to seven. She handed out 53 assists to go along with 11 digs against the Miners while dishing out 22 helpers and collecting 12 digs in the match with the Green Wave.

The Series: UCF
The Pirates have had much success against the Knights, picking up eight wins in 10 all-time meetings. ECU is 5-0 against UCF in Greenville and 3-1 when playing the Knights in Orlando. The lone neutral site contest occurred in 1979 at the Eastern Kentucky Invitational, a 2-0 win for UCF.

Sitting Pretty
A few members of the team have put themselves into the top 10 on some of the East Carolina career ledgers. Fenker and classmate Stephanie Turner are currently ninth and 10th on the digs list, with 951 and 935, respctively. Fenker also resides in seventh on the assists chart, as she owns 1,801.

.200 Or Better
If the Pirates have compiled a .200-plus hitting percentage in 2009, they have been unstoppable, racking up a 7-0 record. In two of those contests, East Carolina has surpassed the .400 plateau, firing at .442 and .434 clips against Savannah State and Winston-Salem State, respectively.

Digging For Victories
It is a widely held mantra that defense wins championships. For the Pirates in 2009, it also means winning games during the season as ECU owns a 7-0 mark when out-digging its opponents. In four of the victories, the Pirates have surpassed 40 (UNC Asheville 45, St. John's 58, Campbell 72, UNCW 76).

Way Down Low
In the match with Savannah State, the Pirates allowed just two points to the Tigers in the first set. It is the fewest given up by East Carolina since rally scoring went into effect in 2001. Only UAB has matched this feat nationally this season, holding Alcorn State to a pair of scores in the first set of a 3-0 decision on Sept. 4 at the Magnolia Invitational in Oxford, Miss.

A Good Start Is Essential
Just as breakfast is a good start to a day, the Pirates winning the first set of a match has proven quite beneficial. When taking the first frame this season, East Carolina is 8-1.

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