East Carolina Entertains AAC Foes Memphis and Cincinnati
November 12, 2015 | Volleyball
Memphis Match Coverage: Gametracker | Live Video (Free)
Cincinnati Match Coverage: Gametracker | Live Video (Free)
GREENVILLE, N.C. - With the 2015 regular season winding down, East Carolina returns home this weekend for a pair of American Athletic Conference matches against Memphis and Cincinnati. The Pirates will take on the Tigers Friday at 5:30 p.m. before battling the Bearcats Sunday at 1 p.m.
Links to live stats and video for both contests can be accessed through www.ecupirates.com.
Friday's contest serves as the front end of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team as it hosts Grambling in its 2015-16 season opener. Tickets purchased for the volleyball match will also serve as valid entry for the men's basketball game. Seating for volleyball will be general admission but fans will need to move to the seat listed on their tickets for the men's basketball contest.
The volleyball Pirates aim to set a new single-match attendance standard Friday as the current mark stands at 1,348 set in 2009 against Memphis.
ECU enters the weekend with an 11-14 overall record and 4-10 AAC mark following a split on the road in Florida. The Pirates fell to USF in three sets Friday before recording a big 3-2 comeback victory over defending league champion UCF Sunday. The win over the Knights marked the first for East Carolina since 2009 and the first victory in Orlando since 2007.
Junior middle hitter Ashley McRae exploded for a career-high 19 kills at UCF while junior outside hitter Sydney Darden produced a stellar defensive weekend during which she amassed 36 digs for an average of 4.50 per set.
Sophomore outside hitter Ashton Mares, who has recorded a double-double in nine of her last 11 appearances, paces the ECU offense with an average of 3.11 kills per set, putting her seventh among AAC players. Junior setter Sabrina Gonzalez checks in with a 9.50 assists per set average good for fourth in the league. McRae has moved into 10th in the AAC in hitting percentage at .295 and is currently the program's career leader at .307.
As a team, East Carolina averages 12.05 kills, 11.03 assists, 1.06 aces, 15.98 digs and 1.79 blocks per set.
About Memphis
Overall Record: 15-137 (6-9 American)
Last Match: Memphis 3, Cincinnati 1 (Nov. 11 at Memphis, Tenn.)
Head Coach: April Jauregui (Seventh season at Memphis)
Current NCAA RPI Ranking: 138
Top Offensive Threat: Catlin Lilly (2.79 kills/set)
Top Defensive Performer: Mady Ruhlman (3.58 digs/set)
Series: Memphis leads, 18-5
About Cincinnati
Overall Record: 16-10 (8-7 American)
Last Match: Memphis 3, Cincinnati 1 (Nov. 11 at Memphis, Tenn.)
Head Coach: Molly Alvey (Fourth season at Cincinnati)
Current NCAA RPI Ranking: 80
Top Offensive Threat: Jordan Thompson (3.74 kills/set)
Top Defensive Performer: Abby Williams (4.29 digs/set)
Series: UCF leads, 12-8
Last Time Against Memphis
East Carolina 3, Memphis 1 (27-25, 25-20, 21-25, 26-24)
Sept. 27 - Elma Roane Fieldhouse (Memphis, Tenn.)
ECU jumped out to a 2-0 lead at Memphis and held on for a 3-1 victory at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Figueroa collected a match-high 25 digs to eclipse the 1,000 mark for her career while Mares notched a team-best 14 kills. The Pirates outblocked the Tigers 14.0 to 6.0 while outhitting Memphis as well .160-.156. The teams combined for 150 digs and 11 service aces.
Last Time Against Cincinnati
Cincinnati 3, East Carolina 1 (22-25, 25-22, 10-25, 17-25)
Sept. 25 - Fifth Third Arena (Cincinnati, Ohio)
The Pirates found themselves tied with Cincinnati on the road at the intermission but the Bearcats captured the final two sets in a 3-1 victory. A trio of East Carolina players ended up in double figures offensively led by McRae's 14 kills. Figueroa racked up a match-high 22 digs as the teams finished tied in the statistic at 63 apiece. Cincinnati doubled up ECU in the blocking column 10.0 to 5.0 and hit .308 while limiting the Pirates to .151 efficiency.
Up Next
East Carolina will embark on its final road trip of the season next weekend heading south and west to face off against Houston and Tulane.
