East Carolina Downs Host Bucknell 3-1 To Claim Invitational Title

Saturday, August 27

Lewisburg, Pa.

6:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

3-0

Bucknell

1-2

East Carolina

Bucknell

East Carolina Downs Host Bucknell 3-1 To Claim Invitational Title

August 27, 2016 | Volleyball

Box Score East Carolina 3 Bucknell 1

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Led by tournament MVP and senior outside hitter Sydney Darden, the East Carolina volleyball team won the Bucknell Invitational with a 3-1 (25-27, 25-20, 25-9, 25-21) victory over the host Bison Saturday evening inside Davis Gym. The Pirates are off to a 3-0 start to their season while the Bison fall to 1-2.

Torbett's Take: "This was a great opening weekend for us. I was very pleased with the options we had on the offensive end all tournament and a number of newcomers impacted the matches in a positive manner. We have some things to work on, but the team should be proud of its performance."

Darden notched 17 kills on 38 attempts with six errors, finishing with a .289 hitting percentage. She added 14 digs to complete her first double-double of the season. Senior setter Sabrina Gonzalez tallied 44 assists and a career-high 20 digs for her third double-double in as many matches while classmate and middle hitter Ashley McRae hit .455 with six kills and added four blocks (one solo). Freshman libero Brandee Markwith ended a fine first collegiate weekend with 16 digs. Bridgette Holland paced Bucknell with 13 kills and a .333 hitting percentage.

East Carolina hit .270 as a team, racking up 60 kills on 137 attempts. The Pirates also recorded double-digit blocks for the second-straight match to the tune of a season-high 13.0 while also ending up with 72 digs and six service aces. ECU held the Bison to a .147 hitting mark, including .083 and .184 performances in the third and fourth frames.

Set One: It was nearly a point-for-point start to the match as neither team could establish more than a two-point edge for most of the set. With the score knotted at 19, Bucknell was able to scrape out the next three rallies to pull ahead 22-19 and force a Pirate timeout. Trailing 23-20, East Carolina made one last push and scored five of the next six points to eke out a 25-24 lead. The Bison had the last answer, using two kills and a service aces to escape with the set victory.

Set Two: Bucknell jumped out to a 6-3 cushion in the second stanza, but ECU answered right back and tied it at eight following a kill by junior outside Lael Ceriani. After a bad set by Gonzalez afforded the Bison a 15-11 lead, a 6-2 Pirate run drew the score even at 17. With the proceedings deadlocked at 20 a few points later, East Carolina netted the next four rallies as a huge solo stuff by senior outside I'Tiana Taylor put ECU at set point. With Gonzalez serving, a bad set clinched the frame for the Purple and Gold.

Set Three: As close as the first two sets were, the third proved to be all Pirates as they sprinted out to a 9-2 lead and eventually took the match lead with the 25-9 margin of victory.

Set Four: Looking to force the contest to a deciding set, Bucknell looked to be doing just that as the hosts went ahead 17-11 after a solo block by Holland. East Carolina dug down and fought, however, as a block by McRae and Taylor capped an 8-2 run that drew the sides square at 19. That was all the Pirates needed to shut down the Bison as they scored just two more points the remainder of the match.

Bits and Pieces: ECU is off to a 3-0 start for the third-straight campaign … The Pirates won the first-ever meeting between the programs … Torbett now sits just 19 victories away from 400 for her career … East Carolina bettered its non-conference record to 29-14 under Torbett … ECU won a non-league tournament championship for the fourth-straight season … McRae and Gonzalez were also named to the Bucknell Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Up Next: East Carolina will take a full week to prepare for its next match – a trip to Savannah State for a single contest Sunday, Sept. 4. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.

Bucknell Invitational All-Tournament Team
Sydney Darden, East Carolina *(MVP)*
Sabrina Gonzalez, East Carolina
Ashley McRae, East Carolina
Katlyn Tyler, Canisius
Cassidy Ceriani, Canisius
Mimi Richards, Bucknell
Annabel Reyes, Fairleigh Dickinson