ECU Turns Aside Gardner-Webb In Four Sets

Friday, September 20

Boiling Springs, N.C.

6:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

10-1

Gardner-Webb

1-9

East Carolina

Gardner-Webb

September 20, 2019 | Volleyball

Box Score

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Despite a hiccup in the third set, East Carolina thoroughly dominated Gardner-Webb Friday evening in Boiling Springs in a 3-1 (25-8, 25-14, 24-26, 25-10) non-conference victory at Paul Porter Arena.

The win is the sixth straight for the Pirates who improved to 10-1 overall. The host Runnin' Bulldogs dropped to 1-9.

Julie Torbett, already the winningest head coach in program history, won her 100th match at the helm of the program in her seventh season.

East Carolina hit .292 in the match on the strength of 52 kills while limiting Gardner-Webb to 27 kills and a .009 attacking percentage. The Pirates also out-dug the Runnin' Bulldogs 54-37 and racked up a season-high 12 service aces.

Sophomore outside hitter Natalie Tyson led the way with 10 kills and a .615 hitting percentage. A match after setting the ECU single-contest record for hitting percentage, senior middle blocker Toya Osuegbu turned in another solid effort with eight kills and just one attacking error for a .538 mark. She added four blocks for good measure. Defensively, junior right side Bri Wood collected a match-best 13 digs and redshirt sophomore libero Brandee Markwith checked in with 12.

Hannah Donaldson notched eight kills and a .333 hitting percentage for the home side.

East Carolina got off to a cracking start in the match, racing out to a 7-1 lead following a kill by Wood. With the Pirates later ahead 9-4, Wood went on a stunning service run that saw her put the ball in play 12-straight times. When the dust cleared, ECU found itself in front 21-5 and the Pirates later closed out the frame holding Gardner-Webb to single digits in the point column.

In the second stanza, East Carolina met little resistance as the Pirates built an 11-4 cushion. The Runnin' Bulldogs rallied within 12-8, but ECU scored six of the next seven to pull ahead by nine. Junior setter Marissa Harmon tallied one of her match-high four aces to terminate the set and give the Pirates a two sets to none lead at the intermission.

Gardner-Webb began to make plays it hadn't all match long in the third set and rode the momentum to a 14-8 upper hand. ECU would eventually erase the deficit and take a late 23-22 lead. However, the Runnin' Bulldogs held on and won the frame in extra points to stay alive in the match.

Having seen enough, East Carolina scored the first four points of the fourth and would stretch the lead to 11-5 on a Kleinman solo block. The Pirates went up 20-8 on a service ace by freshman Chloe Wilmoth and sealed the deal a few rallies later on a Kleinman kill.

ECU returns to action Saturday at Noon when it battles Alabama A&M at Paul Porter Arena.