East Carolina Heads West To Open AAC Play

Matches 13-14: At Tulsa and Wichita State
Coverage	Sept. 23 \\\ at Tulsa \\\ 8:00 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch Sept. 25 \\\ at Wichita State \\\ 1:00 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch
Venues	Reynolds Center (Tulsa, Okla.) \\\ Charles Koch Arena (Wichita, Kan.)
Social Media	Twitter \\\ Instagram \\\ #ECUVB #NoQuarter

GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina begins American Athletic Conference play on the road, embarking on a swing through the middle of the country for matches at Tulsa and Wichita State. Both matches will stream live via ESPN+.

The Pirates wrapped up non-league action last weekend, winning one of three contests at the Virginia Tournament in Charlottesville. ECU defeated Mercer 3-1 Saturday after dropping respective four and three-set decisions to a pair of Power Five institutions in UVA and Maryland.

Entering conference action, the Pirates rank second in the league in aces per set (1.64) and third in blocks per set (2.37). Individually, Payton Evenstad tops the circuit in aces per set (0.44) while Shaylynn Hall is fourth in blocks per set (1.11) and Kenzie Beckham slots fifth in digs per set (3.59). Additionally, Angeles Alderete checks in at fifth in points per set (4.30) and sixth in kills per set (3.80).

East Carolina is 1-2 in true road matches with a win at Old Dominion and losses at Duke and Virginia.

About Tulsa
Tulsa carries a 7-5 overall record into Friday's league opener. The Golden Hurricane have notched wins over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, South Alabama, UTEP, Oral Roberts, Abilene Christian, McNeese State and Sam Houston State, but have also suffered defeat at the hands of Pepperdine, Nebraska, McNeese State, Stephen F. Austin and Baylor. Always a stout defensive club, Tulsa is right back at the top of the AAC statistical rankings. The Golden Hurricane leads the nation in digs per set (20.20) and is fourth in the conference in opposing hitting percentage (.197). Kayley Cassaday, an all-American Conference Preseason Team selection, is second in the league in kills per set (4.47) while Marta Pecalli tops the conference in digs per set (5.62). Tulsa was picked sixth in the AAC preseason coaches poll.

The Tulsa Series
Tulsa has dominated the series with East Carolina, leading it by a 23-2 margin and winning the last six encounters between the programs. The Pirates last defeated the Golden Hurricane Oct. 1, 2017 in Greenville - a four-set ECU victory.

A Look At Wichita State
Wichita State played a tough non-conference schedule and has a 5-6 record to show for it. The Shockers claim wins over Wyoming, Iowa State, Northern Colorado, Missouri-Kansas City and Dayton with losses to Creighton, Omaha, UNLV, Kansas, Northern Illinois and Wright State. Like the Pirates' Friday opponent, Wichita State is also a solid defensive club, checking in at second in the league in both blocks per set (2.43) and digs per set (15.19). Morgan Stout ranks second among conference players in blocks per set (1.19) while preseason all-league honoree Kayce Litzau is fourth in assists per set (9.88). The Shockers were slotted fourth in the AAC preseason coaches poll and received one first-place vote.

The Wichita State Series
East Carolina seeks its first-ever win over Wichita State, trailing the series 7-0. The Pirates nearly knocked off the Shockers on the road last season, holding a two sets to one lead before falling in five.

Ninth Season in The American
East Carolina is in its ninth volleyball season as a member of the American Athletic Conference after spending 13 years as part of Conference USA. The Pirates look for their highest finish in the league since taking fourth place in 2017.

Last Go Round For AAC Trio
The 2022 campaign marks the last for Cincinnati, UCF and Houston as members of the American Athletic Conference. While those programs depart the league in 2023, six new faces simultaneously arrive in the form of Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA.

Upping The Competition
The Pirates certainly challenged themselves during non-conference play, facing three members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in Duke, Notre Dame and Virginia as well as Maryland of the Big Ten Conference. ECU has already claimed victory over an ACC squad with Augustin at the helm when the Pirates swept North Carolina in Greenville in the spring of 2021 - East Carolina's first victory over UNC since 1978.

Up Next
East Carolina plays at home for the first time since opening weekend, hosting Houston (Sept. 30) and Tulane (Oct. 2) inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Players Mentioned

Angeles Alderete

Kenzie Beckham

Payton Evenstad

Shaylynn Hall

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