Gameday: East Carolina Closes Nonconference Slate At Georgia State

Matches 9-10: Georgia State Invitational
Date	September 16-17, 2016
Tournament Schedule	Sept. 16: South Carolina State at Georgia State \\\ 6:00 p.m. Sept. 17: vs. South Carolina State \\\ 11:00 a.m. \\\ Live Stats Sept. 17: at Georgia State \\\ 4:00 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Live Video
Location	Atlanta, Ga. (GSU Sports Arena)
Social Media	@ECUVB \\\ Instagram \\\ Facebook \\\ @ECUScoreboard (In-Match Updates) \\\ #ECUndaunted \\\ #ECUVB

Weekly Release No. 4 (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina volleyball team looks to complete its nonconference schedule with an unbeaten record, traveling south to Atlanta this weekend for the Georgia State Invitational. The Pirates will face off with South Carolina State Saturday morning at 11 a.m. before turning around and playing the host Panthers at 4 p.m.

Coverage: Live stats are accessible for both matches while ECU's contest against Georgia State will be streamed live for a fee.

East Carolina has started a season 8-0 for the first time in program history after sweeping through the Campbell Invitational last weekend in Buies Creek. The Pirates swept South Carolina State Friday before knocking off Navy (3-1) and the host Camels (3-2) in consecutive fashion Saturday afternoon and evening.

Senior setter Sabrina Gonzalez was named the MVP of the event after averaging 9.67 assists and 3.17 digs per set as well as notching her fourth double-double of the campaign with 50 assists and a career-high 24 digs in the championship match against Campbell. Senior outside hitter Sydney Darden and freshman libero Brandee Markwith were also tabbed to the all-tournament team.

ECU leads the American Athletic Conference in opposing hitting percentage and blocks per set while ranking a respective second and 41st nationally. Darden paces the offense with a 3.62 kills per set average and is complemented in the back row by Markwith's 4.14 digs per set mark.

Scouting South Carolina State: The Bulldogs have yet to win a match in 12 tries this year. South Carolina State will match up with Georgia State Friday evening before taking on the Pirates Saturday morning. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging 5.95 kills, 5.42 assists, 9.66 digs and 0.82 blocks per set while hitting .012. Briana Dafney, who East Carolina held to just four kills and a .000 hitting percentage in the team's first meeting, leads the SCSU offensive efforts with a 2.63 kills per set average. East Carolina has won two of the teams' three meetings.

About Georgia State: The Panthers bring a 3-6 record into their home opener having secured wins over Holy Cross, North Carolina Central and William and Mary. Georgia State struggled last weekend at the Georgia Challenge, winning just one set in three matches against Georgia, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State. Crystal Lee heads up the offensive charge with a 2.38 kills per set average while collectively, the Panthers are putting up 11.93 kills, 11.10 assists, 16.48 digs and 1.78 blocks per set. The series between ECU and Georgia State is a short one with each team claiming a victory.

News, Notes and Noshes

As of Sept. 12, ECU is one of 11 NCAA Division I programs that has yet to suffer a loss in 2016.
In every match this season, East Carolina has recorded more kills, digs and blocks than its opponent as well as ending up with a better hitting percentage. ECU has only hit less than .200 in one contest.
In East Carolina's victory at Campbell, it recorded 109 digs - a mark which stands as the second highest in a match in school history. Freshman Brandee Markwith notched a career-high 32 digs during the evening and is just the second player in the American Athletic Conference to surpass 30 digs in a match this season.
A key to the Pirates' success this season has been steady play from the setter position. Senior Sabrina Gonzalez ranks second in the AAC in assists per set while also averaging 3.25 digs per set and hitting .463 with 28 kills in 54 attempts.
Senior Ashley McRae is the program's current career leader in hitting percentage as she has compiled a .316 mark in three-plus seasons. Her .360 hitting percentage as a sophomore stands as the second highest in a single season in school history.
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 the third highest in the American Athletic Conference this season and 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 14 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.
The Pirates captured their fifth non-conference tournament title of Torbett's tenure at the Campbell Invitational and have won at least one such event every year since 2013.

Up Next: East Carolina officially opens its 2016 American Athletic Conference slate Thursday, Sept. 22, with a road match against SMU in Dallas. First serve from Moody Coliseum is set for 8 p.m.

Gameday: East Carolina Closes Nonconference Slate At Georgia State

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Players Mentioned

Sydney Darden

Sabrina Gonzalez

Brandee Markwith

Ashley McRae

I'Tiana Taylor

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Gameday: East Carolina Closes Nonconference Slate At Georgia State

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Players Mentioned

Sydney Darden

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Brandee Markwith

Ashley McRae

I'Tiana Taylor

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