East Carolina Tops Loyola Maryland To Cap Perfect Opening Weekend

Saturday, August 31

Wilmington, N.C.

1:30 p.m.

East Carolina University

3-0,0-0AAC

Loyola University Maryland

1-2,0-0Patriot

Loyola Maryland

East Carolina

East Carolina Tops Loyola Maryland To Cap Perfect Opening Weekend

August 31, 2024 | Volleyball

Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C. – East Carolina is 3-0 in the sport of volleyball for the first time since 2016 as the Pirates knocked off Loyola University Maryland 3-1 (25-9, 23-25, 25-16, 25-20) Saturday afternoon to wrap up an unbeaten weekend at the Hampton Inn and Suites Seahawk Classic inside Hanover Hall.

Graduate student and right side hitter Fran McBride was selected the Tournament MVP while junior middle blocker Carlia Northcross also earned All-Tournament Team accolades.

The Pirates were excellent on the offensive end, logging just seven total attacking errors while notching 50 kills to hit a stout .387. The Greyhounds (1-2) were not as effective, firing at a .123 clip thanks to 27 miscues. ECU also held the upper hand in digs (52-48) and total blocks (6.0-2.0).

Sophomore outside hitter Ellie Pate matched her career high in kills with 13 and hit a sizzling .480 with just one attacking error in 25 attempts. McBride followed with 11 and junior outside hitter Angeles Alderete tallied 10. Alderete posted her second double-double of the campaign by adding 13 digs. Along the back row, senior libero Lara Uyar finished with a team-best 14 digs. Northcross rounded out the stat sheet with five kills, four blocks and a .556 hitting percentage.

Set One: East Carolina came out a determined side and ripped off an 11-4 run to begin the contest. Loyola Maryland never found its footing as the Pirates limited the Greyhounds to a mere nine points in the stanza.

Set Two: Threatening to run away with the match, ECU built a 17-11 cushion midway through the second frame, but the Greyhounds dug down and scored nine of the next 12 points to forge a deadlock at 20 apiece. Alderete would put down a kill to afford the Pirates a 22-21 advantage, but Loyola Maryland had the last word and netted four of the final five points to tie the game at the intermission.

Set Three: East Carolina put together a devastating 9-0 run off Uyar's serve to create some separation in the third stanza as four consecutive attacking errors by the Greyhound side left the Pirates with a 13-6 advantage. Loyola Maryland never really threatened the rest of the way and ECU ended up taking the frame by nine.

Set Four: With the Pirates leading 11-6 in the fourth, the Greyhounds rattled off four straight to draw within one. Unfazed, East Carolina responded with a 5-1 run of its own to hold on to the upper hand for good. Loyola Maryland crept within a handful of points the remainder of the proceedings, however, a kill by McBride ended things for good.

Up Next: ECU makes its home debut next weekend when it welcomes North Carolina A&T, Texas A&M-Commerce and Western Carolina to Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum for the 2024 Pirate Invitational. East Carolina takes on North Carolina A&T Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. to begin the event.