ECU Drops Four-Set Tussle To Tulsa

Friday, November 2

Greenville, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

12-11, 4-8AAC

Tulsa

17-7, 9-3AAC

Tulsa

ECU

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

November 02, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – ECU returned home Friday night and fell to Tulsa in four sets (17-25, 25-22, 17-25, 23-25) in an American Athletic Conference match inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. The Golden Hurricane entered the match in sole possession of third place in the league standings.

Tulsa (17-7, 9-3 AAC) enjoyed a 10.0-1.0 advantage in total blocks and hit .324 with 59 kills on 148 attempts. The Pirates (12-11, 4-8 AAC) out-dug the visitors, who lead the AAC in digs per set, by a 73-69 count.

Junior libero Maggie Hallow collected a career-high 24 digs to pace four ECU players in double figures. Junior middle blocker Toya Oseugbu notched a team-best 13 kills while freshman outside hitter Natalie Tyson posted 11 and redshirt freshman middle blocker Sydney Hall recorded a career-best 10. Sophomore setter Shelby Martin turned in her team-leading sixth double-double of the season with 34 assists and 14 digs. Emily Thorson led the Golden Hurricane with 16 kills.

"Our young team did some encouraging things tonight," head coach Julie Torbett said. "The difference in the match was blocking, but I thought we were solid in many other areas."

The Pirates took an 8-7 lead in the opening set after a Tulsa attacking error, but the Golden Hurricane put together a 4-0 run to move in front by three. A kill from Martin kept ECU within two at 14-12 before Tulsa scored four of the next five points to establish some breathing room. Callie Cook later finished the frame with a kill to put the Golden Hurricane up one set to none early.

Tulsa was up by three at 6-3 in the beginning stages of the second. A pair of kills from sophomore right side Bri Wood and a kill by sophomore outside hitter Sydney Kleinman knotted the score at six and the teams began to sideout on nearly every rally. A Mariah Pardo ace afforded the Golden Hurricane a 21-20 edge before the scored settled at 22 points apiece. It was the Pirates who prevailed in the end thanks to a Wood kill, ace by sophomore defensive specialist Samantha Dunn and Osuegbu kill.

After taking the third set by eight, Tulsa looked poised to run away with the fourth and the match leading 15-11. However, a Tyson kill sparked a 4-0 ECU run that gave the Pirates new life. The Golden Hurricane responded and pulled out to a 22-18 cushion, but ECU made one last run. A kill by Oseugbu sliced the Pirate deficit to 22-21 before Tulsa scored the next two to reach match point. A kill an ace kept the contest going, but Rachel Moore ended it with a kill.

ECU is back in action Sunday at 1 p.m. when it welcomes defending AAC champion Wichita State to Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. The Shockers lost in three at Cincinnati earlier in the evening.