Gameday: ECU Travels To Tennessee Tech For Golden Eagle Invitational

Matches 4-7: Golden Eagle Invitational \| at N.C. Central
Schedule	Aug. 31 vs. Hampton \\\ 4:30 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch Sept. 1: vs. USC Upstate \\\ 11 a.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch Sept. 1: at Tennessee Tech \\\ 3 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch Sept. 2: at N.C. Central \\\ 3 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch
Venue	Hooper Eblen Center
Information	2018 Fact Book \\\ 2018 Prospectus \\\ Match Notes
Social Media	@ECUVB (Twitter) \\\ Instagram \\\ Facebook \\\ #WeUp

GREENVILLE, N.C. – After getting the 2018 season underway last weekend in Mississippi, ECU will trek to Cookeville, Tenn. Aug. 31-Sept. 1 for the Golden Eagle Invitational hosted by Tennessee Tech University. The Pirates will then wrap up the weekend Sept. 2 with a match against N.C. Central in Durham.

The Pirates took two of three at the Southern Miss Classic, defeating Spring Hill College and Alcorn State in straight sets before dropping the championship match to one of Conference USA's perrenial top teams in USM. It is the second-straight year ECU has begun the season with two wins in three matches.

Outside hitters Bri Wood and Natalie Tyson were named to the all-tournament team after averaging 3.25 and 3.00 kills per set respectively. On the defensive end of things, defensive specialist Maggie Hallow is putting up a team-high 4.33 digs per set.

Thus far through a trio of matches, ECU is averaging 12.33 kills, 11.44 assists, 1.56 aces, 15.11 digs and 1.67 blocks per set as well as hitting .220 as a team.

Youth Is Served
At the Southern Miss Classic, 15 of the 21 starts were made by underclassmen including five combined by freshmen Natalie Tyson and S'mara Riley. Tyson led the team in kills against Alcorn State while Riley did the same versus Southern Miss.

Sharing The Wealth
With nine new faces on the squad this season, it will take time to establish a lineup and let it gel. All 14 Pirates who traveled to Mississippi last weekend entered a match at some point and played in at least two of the nine sets.

Preseason Recognition
The American Athletic Conference coaches selected ECU seventh in the league's preseason poll, marking the highest prediction for the Pirates since joining the circuit in 2014. Sophomore setter Shelby Martin was named to the AAC Preseason Team - the first such selection for the program since Kelley Wernert was tabbed to the 2007 Conference USA Preseason Team.

Non-Conference Note
The Pirates have enjoyed a great deal of success in non-conference matches since 2013, accruing a 47-19 record.

First Things First
In 2017, ECU posted a 17-5 record when winning the first set. Under Torbett, the Pirates are 62-18 when capturing the initial stanza. On five occasions last season, ECU rallied from a first set loss to emerge victorious (at USF/Tulsa/at Connecticut/Houston/at Houston).

About Hampton
Hampton, in its first season as a member of the Big South Conference after moving from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, dropped all three of its matches to Bradley, Saint Francis-Brooklyn and host Morehead State at the Eagle Challenge last weekend by scores of 3-0, 3-1 and 3-0 respectively. Megann Delgado paces the offense with an average of 2.70 kills per set while Sasha Saric is attacking at a team-best .295 clip. Defensively, Maja Petronijevic has collected a squad-high 2.80 digs per set and Kyndall Nicholas is putting up 0.80 blocks per set. As a team, Hampton averages 9.80 kills, 9.10 assists, 1.60 aces, 11.10 digs and 1.70 blocks per set with a collective .099 hitting percentage. Brandon Duvall is in his third season as head coach of the Pirate volleyball program after spending six years as the head coach at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va.

Scouting USC Upstate
USC Upstate will attempt to record its first victory of the 2018 season in Cookeville after falling to Virginia Tech, Charlotte and Elon last weekend at the Charlotte Invitational. The Spartans, like Hampton, are in their first season as members of the Big South Conference after transitioning over from the Atlantic Sun Conference. Upstate was swept by the Hokies before losing in four sets to the 49ers and five to the Phoenix. Payton Duncan leads USC Upstate offensively with an average of 1.92 kills per set while also producing a team-high 3.67 digs per set. Gloria Ikenegbu has been a force at the net, blocking 1.12 balls per set. As a team, the Spartans are averaging 9.33 kills, 8.83 assists, 1.25 aces, 13.25 digs and 1.67 blocks per set and are hitting at a .083 clip. Jennifer Calloway is in her 23rd season as the head coach of the Spartan program.

The Book On Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Tech opened its 2018 campaign last weekend with two wins in three matches at the Leatherneck Invitational hosted by Western Illinois. The Golden Eagles defeated Fairleigh Dickinson and Western Illinois in four sets while also losing to Evansville in five. Rachel Thomas has been the top offensive performer for Tennessee Tech thus far, averaging 3.62 kills per set with a .418 hitting percentage. On the defensive end, Shealene Little and Kirsten Brugere are tied for the team lead in digs per set, checking in a 4.00 apiece. Thomas is averaging a squad-high 1.08 blocks per set. Collectively, the Golden Eagles are averaging 12.69 kills, 11.69 assists, 1.54 aces, 14.00 digs and 2.00 blocks per set with a .163 hitting percentage. Jeanette Waldo is in her first season as head coach at Tennessee Tech after spending the previous season at Missouri State as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator.

Noting N.C. Central
N.C. Central will compete at the Elon Invitational Friday and Saturday before returning home to host ECU Sunday. The Eagles opened up their 2018 season last weekend at the ISTAP Collegiate Cup in Cartersville, Ga. NCCU lost to Alabama State in five sets and fell in three to Alabama A&M before rebounding against Jackson State - knocking off the Tigers 3-2. Christine Alcox is averaging a team-best 2.44 kills per set to pace the offense while Erika Ianovale has anchored the back row, checking in at 4.23 digs per set. As a team, the Eagles are putting up 9.00 kills, 8.31 assists, 1.54 aces, 15.38 digs and 2.69 blocks per set. Jody Brown is in his fourth season as head coach at N.C. Central.

The Series: Hampton
ECU holds an 8-0 advantage in the all-time series with Hampton and have won all but one set in those matches. Last season, the Purple and Gold took a 25-13, 25-12, 25-19 decision in Greenville at the ECU Invitational.

The Series: USC Upstate
ECU defeated USC Upstate in five sets back on Sept. 22, 1995 when the Spartans were known as USC Spartanburg. That marks the only meeting between the schools.

The Series: Tennessee Tech
ECU and Tennessee Tech have split four matchups with the Pirates winning the last two - including a sweep of the Golden Eagles in Greenville on Sept. 5, 2014. Tennessee Tech captured the first two encounters in the 1989 and 1991 campaigns before ECU responded with a win in Boone, N.C. Sept. 3, 2005.

The Series: N.C. Central
ECU is unbeaten all-time against N.C. Central, including a 4-0 record in matches played in Durham. The Pirates swept the Eagles twice last season in a home and home series.

ECU At-A-Glance
Record - 2-1 (.667) // AAC Record - 0-0 (.000) // Last 5 Matches - 0-0 (.000) // Last 10 Matches - 0-0 (.000) // Last 15 Matches - 0-0 (.000) // ECU will play the 161st match of the Julie Torbett era when it takes on Hampton Friday to open the Golden Eagle Invitational // The Pirates' all-time record stands at 501-781 beginning their 42nd season of competition.

Up Next
ECU begins its home slate next week hosting the Pirate Invitational Sept. 6-7. The Pirates welcome Eastern Washington, Gardner-Webb and Charlotte to Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Gameday: ECU Travels To Tennessee Tech For Golden Eagle Invitational

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Players Mentioned

Maggie Hallow

Shelby Martin

S'mara Riley

Natalie Tyson

Bri Wood

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