Volleyball Continues Conference Play At UConn and Temple
October 16, 2015 | Volleyball
Fresh off a sweep of American Athletic Conference rival Houston, the East Carolina volleyball team will look to use its momentum as it continues league play on the road this weekend. The Pirates will travel to take on UConn Friday before heading to Philadelphia to face Temple on Sunday.
The Pirates are 10-7 overall -- the program's best record through 17 matches since the 2008 season -- and 3-3 in The American after a 3-2 win over Tulane on Friday and a 3-0 win against Houston on Sunday. They have one more conference loss than Temple, who currently sits alone in second in the league standings with a 5-2 record. UConn snapped its three-match losing streak with a win over Owls Wednesday are in 10th-place in the league with a 2-5 record.
ECU is led by senior defensive specialist Erika Figueroa, who ranks 22nd in the nation with 5.12 digs per set. She recorded 39 total digs in the wins over Tulane and Houston to bring her career total 1,099 and is 15 shy of moving into the top-5 on the school's all-time list. Sophomore outside hitter Ashton Mares, who was named to the conference's weekly honor roll Monday, ranks eighth in the league with 3.06 kills per set. She finished the weekend with 31 total kills and 24 digs.
Six of the Pirates' 10 wins have come by 3-0 scores. With one more sweep, they will eclipse the total from all of last season.
at UConn | Friday, 2 p.m. | Live Stats
UConn improved to 8-10 overall with its win over Temple Wednesday. The Huskies opened the season at 5-2 before dropping eight of their last 11. UConn is 2-1 at home in conference play this season with a win over Cincinnati in addition to its recent victory over Temple. Immanuella Anagu ranks second among the the conference leaders in blocks, averaging 1.15 blocks per set, while Kennedy Arundel is ninth in digs (4.11/set).
Following a split last season in which both teams won on the road, the all-time series between ECU and UConn is locked at a match apiece.
at Temple | Sunday, 1 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
The Owls will enter Sunday's contest with four wins in its last six matches. Led by the NCAA's second-leading hitter Kristen Overton (.454), Temple leads the conference with a .269 hitting percentage. It also ranks second in The American in assists (13.00/set) and digs (14.05/set) and third in blocks (2.20/set). Temple has won all three previous meetings in the series, which included 3-0 and 3-1 victories last season.
