UCF Sweeps East Carolina In Orlando

Friday, March 5

Orlando, Fla.

6:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

2-5,0-5AAC

UCF

9-1,3-0AAC

East Carolina

UCF

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

March 05, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

ORLANDO, Fla. – UCF remained unbeaten and atop the American Athletic Conference East Division with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-18) victory over East Carolina Friday evening inside The Venue.

The Pirates drop to 2-5 overall and 0-5 in league play while the Knights improve to 9-1 and 3-0.

Senior outside hitter Sydney Kleinman paced ECU with eight kills and a .217 hitting percentage while senior setter Alisi Motu'apuaka tallied a double-double of 10 assists and 15 digs. Senior libero Camryn Allen matched her teammate in the dig column, racking up 15 of her own. McKenna Melville led all players with 13 kills and notched double-double, adding 14 digs.

Senior right side Bri Wood collected five kills and is just 18 away from reaching 1,000 for her career.

UCF dominated nearly every statistical category, out-hitting East Carolina .250-.100 while also recording more kills (48-24) and digs (63-49). The teams ended up even with six blocks apiece.

The Knights raced out to an 8-3 advantage in the opening frame, forcing the Pirates to burn an early timeout. ECU later rallied within 16-12 following a kill by freshman middle blocker Priscilla Jones, but UCF scored four of the next six points to reach 20 with a six-point edge it would not relinquish.

The second stanza was much tighter as an attack error by MaKenzie Chambers knotted the score at nine. With East Carolina trailing by just one at 11-10, the Knights went on an 8-0 run to pull away and enter the intermission up two sets to none.

The Pirates attempted to extend the match in the third. A solo block by Jones kept the Pirates close, trailing by just two at 15-13. However, UCF was the first to 20 as a Tali Marmen kill made the score 20-16. A kill by Wood cut the Knights' lead to three, but the home team netted five of the final six points to seal the sweep.

Up Next
ECU and UCF meet again Saturday at 2 p.m. in the series finale.