Gameday: ECU Heads To Greensboro For Showdown With North Carolina A&T

Match 5: at North Carolina A&T
Dates	September 6
Schedule	at North Carolina A&T \\\ 6 p.m. \\\ Live Stats
Location	Greensboro, N.C. (Corbett Sports Center)
Social Media	@ECUVB \\\ Instagram \\\ Facebook \\\ @ECUScoreboard (In-Match Updates) \\\ #ECUndaunted \\\ #ECUVB

Weekly Release No. 2 (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina volleyball team's 2016 campaign continues Tuesday as the Pirates head over to Greensboro for a matchup with North Carolina A&T. The match is slated to begin at 6 p.m.

Coverage: Live stats are available for Tuesday's match and linked above. Fans can also follow @ECUScoreboard on Twitter for in-match updates.

ECU put a positive stamp on the beginning of the 2016 campaign, sweeping through the Bucknell Invitational field during the last weekend in August. The Pirates downed Canisius 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-10), Fairleigh Dickinson 3-0 (25-9, 25-12, 25-16) and the host Bison 3-1 (25-27, 25-20, 25-9, 25-21) on their way to the tournament crown. ECU also captured a 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-19) victory over Savannah State Sunday down in Georgia. East Carolina has started the season with a 4-0 record for the third-straight year.

In the sweep of the Tigers, senior outside hitter I'Tiana Taylor put down 13 kills with just one error in 16 swings for a .750 hitting percentage - the second-highest in program history and the third best in the American Athletic Conference this season. She is one of four Pirates averaging at least 2.00 kills per set, boasting a 2.75 average. As a team, East Carolina hit a sizzling .403 while limiting Savannah State to .026 efficiency.

Thanks to a strong showing during opening weekend, the Pirates ranked in the top 50 nationally in seven statistical categories including fifth in opposing hitting percentage (.044) and 14th in blocks per set (3.20). Both marks paced the American Athletic Conference. Additionally, senior middle hitter Ashley McRae checked in 19th in hitting percentage with a .500 mark – the third highest in the league thus far.

Noting North Carolina A&T: The Aggies are 1-4 entering Tuesday's match having been swept by Elon in their home opener. As a team, A&T is putting up 8.89 kills, 8.11 assists, 1.84 aces, 9.21 digs and 1.32 blocks per set as well as a .088 hitting percentage. Samara Brown is the clear offensive leader, checking in with a 2.89 kills per set average. In the series between the programs, the Pirates own a 14-4 edge and have captured the last five meetings.

News and Notes

Torbett, in her fourth season with East Carolina, sits just 18 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 opening weekend showed just how diverse the East Carolina offense could be this season as four players averaged 2.10 or more kills per set with junior outside hitter Lael Ceriani close by at 1.86.
ECU outscored Fairleigh Dickinson 75-37 in its sweep of the Knights. That marked the largest margin of victory in match for the Pirates since they allowed Savannah State just 31 points in a 3-0 victory to start the 2015 campaign.
A pair of East Carolina players set career marks for hitting percentage in a match at the Bucknell Invitational. senior outside hitter Sydney Darden fired at a .480 clip in the sweep of Canisius to start the season while McRae hit .625 in the Pirates' next match - a 3-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.
At the conclusion of the first weekend of competition, ECU finds itself ranked in the top 50 nationally in seven statistical categories, including fifth in opposing hitting percentage and 14th in blocks per set.
The Pirates captured their fourth non-conference tournament title of Torbett's tenure at Bucknell and have won at least one such event every year since 2013.

Up Next: East Carolina will not have to travel to far away from home next weekend, making the short trek to Buies Creek for the Campbell Invitational. The Pirates will face off against South Carolina State, Navy and the host Camels during the two-day event.

Gameday: ECU Heads To Greensboro For Showdown With North Carolina A&T

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lael Ceriani

Sydney Darden

Ashley McRae

I'Tiana Taylor

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Gameday: ECU Heads To Greensboro For Showdown With North Carolina A&T

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lael Ceriani

Sydney Darden

Ashley McRae

I'Tiana Taylor

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