East Carolina Fights Past UNCW In Four

Friday, August 30

Wilmington, N.C.

6:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

2-0,0-0AAC

UNCW

0-1,0-0CAA

East Carolina

UNCW

August 30, 2024 | Volleyball

Box Score Game Book (PDF)

WILMINGTON, N.C. – It's difficult to beat an in-state rival, especially playing away from home and having the task of extending a 16-match winning streak in the series between the programs, but East Carolina got the job done Friday night in a 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-21) win over UNCW at Hanover Hall to cap day one of the Hampton Inn and Suites Seahawk Classic.

Offensive miscues plagued the Pirates (2-0) in the early going as the Purple and Gold fired at a subpar .030 in the first stanza, committing 10 attacking errors in 33 attempts. ECU began to limit those mistakes in the next two frames, hitting over .200, while holding UNCW (0-1) to a negative percentage in the third set.

All told, the Pirates held the eventual upper hand in kills (50-40), digs (62-31) and service aces (9-3) while the homestanding Seahawks came out on top in total blocks (9.0-6.0).

Graduate student and right side Fran McBride tied for match-high honors with 11 kills to complement a 10-kill performance from sophomore outside hitter Ellie Pate. Senior setter Mackenzie Jefferson posted her first double-double in an East Carolina uniform to the tune of 18 assists and 13 digs while adding three aces for good measure. A'siya Magazine paced UNCW with 11 kills while Quinn Manley notched a match-best 14 digs.

Set One: Pate kept the Pirates close in the opening stanza with a kill that forged a 10-10 deadlock, but the Seahawks rattled off six of the next nine points to establish some separation. ECU rallied back to knot the score at 19, but a quartet of attacking errors plagued East Carolina down the stretch as UNCW ended the frame on a 6-1 run to grab early control.

Set Two: Featuring 11 tie scores and four lead changes, the second period began much as the first – multiple stalemates and a late Seahawk lead. However, with the hosts in front 22-20 following a Margo Huff kill, the Pirates dug deep and registered four kills in the final six points to eke out a two-point victory and tie the match heading into the intermission.

Set Three: ECU started to find its rhythm in the third, rolling out to a 10-7 edge via a block by junior outside hitter Angeles Alderete and freshman middle blocker Aleicea Watson. The Pirates never let UNCW back in and coasted to the nine-point triumph and a 2-1 match advantage.

Set Four: It seemed destiny that Friday evening's affair should go the distance after a block afforded the Seahawks an 18-13 cushion in the fourth. However, with time running out, East Carolina methodically chipped away at the deficit and put together a 7-2 run to tie things up at 20. In the end, the Pirates would net nine of the last 10 points with middle blocker Carlia Northcross putting the exclamation point on the win with her eighth and final kill of the night.

With its 17th consecutive victory over UNCW, ECU reduced the Seahawks' lead in the all-time series to 39-32.
The Pirates improved to 12-3 against non-conference opponents since the start of the 2023 campaign.
A victory in Saturday's tournament finale would give East Carolina its second consecutive Hampton Inn and Suites Seahawk Classic title.
The Pirates have started a season 2-0 for the first time under fifth-year head coach Adler Augustin.
Jefferson's double-double is the 13th of her collegiate career.

Up Next: ECU wraps up its opening weekend of competition Saturday at 1:30 p.m. when it faces off with Loyola University Maryland.