ECU Volleyball Season Preview: Part IV - Right Sides
September 02, 2014 | Volleyball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The fourth part of the 2014 East Carolina volleyball season preview will highlight the Pirate right sides. Head coach Julie Torbett has a pair of rights sides this year in returning junior Sierra Lee-Dunson and junior transfer Alex Johnson.
"On the right side we have a lot of competition," Torbett explained. "It will be exciting to see what Sierra and Alex can do on the court this season."
Johnson came to East Carolina from Maryland Eastern Shore and the College of Southern Idaho. She played at Southern Idaho for two years and helped the Eagles to a 33-1 overall record en route to winning the NJCAA National Championship in 2012.
Last season, Johnson saw action in 12 matches with five starts at CSI and finished the season with 35 kills, 11 total blocks, eight digs and two assists. She has her best contest against Colorado Northwestern last October when she recorded a season-best 10 kills while hitting .533 and adding three blocks.
"Alex transferred in from Maryland Eastern Shore and before that was at the College of Southern Idaho," Torbett explained. "She's a little rusty in the fact that UMES didn't have a spring season. So she's been out of playing for a little while in that regard. She's 6-foot-4 and has the highest reach on the team as she touches about 10-foot-3, so we just need to toughen her up a little bit and make her stronger. She's definitely a big presence on the right side."
Lee-Dunson returns to the court for the Pirates after seeing limited action last season. A year ago, she played in five sets and four matches as a sophomore. She came off the bench at North Carolina A&T last November and recorded three kills in the contest on four attempts. She notched her first collegiate block as a solo stop versus Savannah State and finished the year with 4.0 points.
"Sierra saw a little bit of playing time last season," Torbett said. "She's really got herself in very good shape over the summer so that is going to be a competition."
The Pirates open the 2014 season Friday, September 5 when they host the East Carolina Invitational. ECU welcomes Tennessee Tech, Norfolk State, Morgan State and UNC Wilmington for the two-day tournament. The Pirates and Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech will see action on Friday at 1 p.m.
