Gameday: Pirates Set For Pair Of Matches In Boiling Springs

Matches 11-12: at Gardner-Webb \| vs. Alabama A&M
The Matches	Sept. 20 at Gardner-Webb \| 6 p.m. \| Live Stats \| ESPN+ Sept. 21 vs. Alabama A&M \| Noon \| Live Stats
Venue	Paul Porter Arena (Boiling Springs, N.C.)
Information	2019 Fact Book \\\ 2019 Prospectus
Social Media	@ECUVB (Twitter) \\\ Instagram \\\ Facebook \\\ #GoPirates

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Looking to extend a five-match winning streak, East Carolina travels to the mountains this weekend for two matches at Paul Porter Arena on the campus of Gardner-Webb University. The Pirates will take on the host Runnin' Bulldogs at 6 p.m. Friday before encountering Alabama A&M Saturday at Noon.

East Carolina is 9-1 overall, marking the best 10-match record for the program since the 2016 squad raced out to a 10-0 start before finishing the year at 15-15.

In its most recent match Tuesday evening, ECU took care of N.C. Central in four sets at Minges Coliseum. Senior middle blocker Toya Osuegbu set the program single-match record for hitting percentage, notching 10 kills on 12 attempts with no errors for .833 efficiency. Junior right side Bri Wood posted a double-double for the fifth-straight match, ending up with 15 kills and 16 digs. She committed just three errors for a .343 attacking percentage. Junior outside hitter Sydney Kleinman paced the offense with 16 kills and hit .303. Defensively, redshirt junior libero Brandee Markwith led all players with 23 digs. Additionally, junior setter Shelby Martin notched her fifth double-double of the campaign to the tune of 21 assists and 11 digs.

Wood paces the Pirate offense with 137 kills (3.51 per set) and a .345 hitting percentage while Kleinman is close behind with 106 kills (3.42 per set). At the net, Osuegbu and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Sydney Hall have combined for 62 blocks and are sporting respective .279 and .312 attacking percentages. Markwith is averaging 4.69 digs per set (183 total) in anchoring the back row.

With 286 assists this season, Martin has raised her career total to 2,185 – good for fifth in program history. She is putting up 7.57 assists per set as well as 2.41 digs per set and a .316 hitting percentage in 2019.

A Look At Gardner-Webb
Gardner-Webb is 1-8 overall after dropping all three matches last weekend at the Wofford Invitational in Spartanburg, S.C. The Runnin' Bulldogs lost to Alabama A&M, North Carolina A&T and the host Terriers. Elizabeth Griffith sports a squad-best total of 56 kills (2.00 per set) with a .142 hitting percentage while Hannah Donaldson and Alexandria Roycraft have combined for 51 total blocks. Collectively, the Runnin' Bulldogs check in averaging 7.94 kills, 7.39 assists, 1.06 aces, 13.29 digs and 1.74 blocks per set and are hitting .070. Kamille Jones, who was hired as an assistant coach for the program earlier in 2019, is serving as Gardner-Webb's head coach this season.

About Alabama A&M
Alabama A&M, a perennial powerhouse in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, is 4-7 overall with wins over Delaware State, Florida A&M, South Carolina State and Gardner-Webb as well as losses to Belmont, Southern Illinois, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Wofford, North Carolina A&T and Middle Tennessee State. The Bulldogs were 23-13 last season and participated in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship as the SWAC's automatic qualifier. Alana Cox leads the way offensively with a team-best 68 kills as well as a .355 hitting percentage. As a team, Alabama A&M is averaging 11.34 kills, 9.84 assists, 1.09 aces, 13.38 digs and 2.22 blocks per set as well as hitting .238. Rose Powell is in her sixth season as the Bulldogs' head coach, leading Alabama A&M to the SWAC regular season title last season.

The Gardner-Webb Series
East Carolina has been successful against Gardner-Webb, winning four of the five matchups between the schools. The Pirates swept the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2018 as part of the Pirate Invitational in Greenville.

The Alabama A&M Series
ECU and Alabama A&M will meet for the first time Saturday afternoon. The Pirates last encountered a school from the Southwestern Athletic Conference just last season when they defeated Alcorn State in three sets (25-14, 25-8, 25-12) at the Southern Miss Classic in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Up Next
East Carolina entertains in-state foe Campbell Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.

Gameday: Pirates Set For Pair Of Matches In Boiling Springs

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Players Mentioned

Sydney Hall

Sydney Kleinman

Brandee Markwith

Shelby Martin

Toya Osuegbu

Bri Wood

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