Gameday: ECU Entertains Cincinnati And Memphis In AAC Matchups

Matches 13-14: UCF/USF
Schedule	Oct. 5: Cincinnati \\\ 7 p.m. \\\ Greenville, N.C. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Live Video Oct. 7: Memphis \\\ 7 p.m. \\\ Greenville, N.C. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Live Video
Venue	Minges Coliseum
Social Media	@ECUVB (Twitter) \\\ Instagram \\\ Facebook \\\ @ECUScoreboard (In-Match Updates) \\\ #ECUndaunted \\\ #14Strong \\\ #PirateNation

Weekly Release No. 7

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina volleyball team remains at home this week, welcoming Cincinnati and Memphis to Minges Coliseum Wednesday and Friday evenings for a pair of American Athletic Conference matches. Both contests are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Wednesday Promotions:
Club Sports Day – ECU Club Sports teams can earn compliance points by attending the match. The women's club volleyball team will also scrimmage at the break between sets two and three.
Paint It Gold – Fans are encouraged to wear gold to support the Pirates
Student-Athlete Golden Game – Teams can earn extra Pirate Points by attending the match

Friday Promotions:
High School Day – High school volleyball teams are invited to attend the match for free by submitting their team rosters to the Compliance office
Post-Match Autographs – Fans can meet their favorite Pirates in a post-match autograph session

Coverage: Live stats and a free video stream of both matches can be accessed through www.ecupirates.com (also linked above).

ECU (10-4, 0-4 AAC) dropped a pair of league matches at home last week, falling in four sets to UCF Friday and in three to USF Sunday. Cincinnati (8-7, 3-1 AAC) also played at home over the weekend, sweeping USF before downing UCF 3-1. As for Memphis (8-8, 0-4 AAC), the Tigers seek their first AAC victory of the season after losing to UConn 3-0 and Temple in five at home.

As a team, East Carolina ranks first in the league and third nationally in opposing hitting percentage (.125) while also leading the AAC in blocks per set (2.42). Senior outside hitter Sydney Darden owns a squad-best average of 3.24 kills per set while freshman libero Brandee Markwith tops the team and is fifth in the conference at 4.26 digs per set.

Scouting Cincinnati: The Bearcats were not only picked to win the AAC championship in the preseason coaches poll, but also carry the league's preseason Player of the Year on the roster in sophomore outside hitter Jordan Thompson who currently averages 4.77 kills per set. Classmate Carly Nolan is also a threat offensively, checking in with an average of 3.36 kills per set. She is the reigning AAC Offensive Player of the Week. As a team, Cincinnati is putting up 12.93 kills, 12.23 assists, 1.09 aces, 13.73 digs and 2.06 blocks per set. The Bearcats own a healthy 9-1 advantage in the series with ECU and took both meetings last year, winning 3-1 in Cincinnati and 3-0 in Greenville.

Regarding Memphis: The Tigers are led offensively by Catlin Lilly's 2.76 kills per set average while Michaella Moss anchors the back row to the tune of 3.65 digs per set. Collectively, Memphis is averaging 12.17 kills, 11.30 assists, 1.54 aces, 15.07 digs and 1.98 blocks per set. The Pirates and Tigers split last season's matchups with East Carolina winning 3-1 in Memphis and the Tigers responding with a five-set victory in Greenville. Memphis leads the series with ECU 19-5.

News and Notes

Markwith ranks first in the American Athletic Conference in digs per set in conference matches, checking in with an average of 5.40 per set. In East Carolina's four AAC matches, she has registered the most digs of any player on the floor.
After finishing ninth in the league in blocks per set in 2015, the Pirates lead the conference in overall matches with a 2.42 average. In AAC matches, ECU falls second with an average of 2.53 per set. Junior middle hitter Natalie Montini tops the conference in league matches, boasting a 1.33 mark.
East Carolina needs just six more victories this season to ensure its first winning record since the 2006 squad finished with a 19-12 mark. If the Pirates reach six wins in conference play, that total will represent the most for ECU since joining the American Athletic Conference prior to the 2014 season.
With a 10-0 start to the season, East Carolina is now 36-14 in non-conference matches under head coach Julie Torbett.
In ECU's victory at Campbell, it recorded 109 digs - a mark which stands as the second highest in a match in school history.
Senior Ashley McRae is the program's current career leader in hitting percentage as she has compiled a .307 mark in three-plus seasons. Her .360 hitting percentage as a sophomore stands as the second highest in a single season in school history. She also needs just two blocks to tie for 10th on the program career list.
Senior I'Tiana Taylor had a match to remember against Savannah State, putting down 13 kills on 16 attempts with just one error to end up with a .750 hitting percentage. That mark is tied for the second best in a single match in program history.
Head Coach Julie Torbett, in her fourth season with East Carolina, is just 12 wins away from her 400 for her career. She left Winthrop after the 2012 campaign as the winningest coach in Big South Conference history. In terms of the AAC, Torbett owns the second-most career victories among the league's current head coaches. Her 388 wins trail only Houston head coach Kaddie Platt.

Up Next: Following this week's home contests, East Carolina will return to the court Thursday, Oct. 13, for a conference match at Tulane.

Gameday: ECU Entertains Cincinnati And Memphis In AAC Matchups

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Players Mentioned

Sydney Darden

Brandee Markwith

Ashley McRae

Natalie Montini

I'Tiana Taylor

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Gameday: ECU Entertains Cincinnati And Memphis In AAC Matchups

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sydney Darden

Brandee Markwith

Ashley McRae

Natalie Montini

I'Tiana Taylor

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