ECU Volleyball Season Preview: Part I - Setters
August 28, 2014 | Volleyball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - With the volleyball season slated to start Friday, September 5 with the East Carolina Invitational, Head Coach Julie Torbett and her staff are looking forward to building on the success from last season.
In an effort to continue to improve on the court, East Carolina returns eight players from a year ago and welcomes eight new faces to Greenville. The Pirates will have a substantial amount of depth this year and the season preview will breakdown each position.
At setter, Torbett has options in Zarah Cecich and Bella Borgiotti. Cecich is the lone senior on the squad, while Borgiotti is a returning sophomore.
"We have two setters in Bella and Zarah," Torbett explained. "I think that could be a real battle or I can use them both in different rotations."
A year ago, Cecich and Borgiotti split time at setter and combined for 1,115 assists. Cecich is currently ranked seventh in the ECU career record book with 1,871 assists after compiling 839 helpers last season. She averaged 7.77 assists per set to go along with 181 digs (1.68 per set), 78 kills (0.72 per set) and 43 total blocks (0.40 per set).
Cecich recorded a season-high 55 assists in the Pirates' 3-2 victory at Appalachian State last September. She was a large part in East Carolina's win over the Mountaineers which marked the Pirates' first triumph over App State since 1992 and extended the Pirates' winning streak to five matches.
"Zarah is the more calm and calculated senior with experience," Torbett said of her co-captain. "She's a great leader and I think she'll have a very positive senior year."
Borgiotti saw action in 49 sets last season as she sat out a few matches due to an injury. However, she made in immediate impact during her time on the court.
As a freshman, she finished the year with 276 assists to average 5.63 per set. She also added 88 digs (1.80 per set), 27 kills (0.82 per set) and 22 total blocks (0.45 per set).
"Bella is a sophomore and is one of those fiery and feisty players," Torbett said. "She plays with a lot of emotion."
Borgiotti set the pace for East Carolina against conference foe Middle Tennessee last November when she dished out a career-best 35 assists to help the Pirates hold off the Blue Raiders, 3-2.
Cecich and Borgiotti will be back on the court for ECU this fall. The duo will kick off the 2014 campaign at the season opening tournament beginning Friday, September 5 against Tennessee Tech at 1 p.m.
