Buchanan's Double-Double Not Enough Against FAU

Sunday, October 12

Greenville, N.C.

12:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

Florida Atlantic

October 12, 2025 | Volleyball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Pirates (10-7, 2-3 American) fought a thrilling battle against Florida Atlantic (13-6, 4-2 American), ultimately falling in four sets (17-25, 20-25, 32-30, 22-25) in a closely contested conference matchup.
East Carolina benefited from a career-defining performance by outside hitter Sydney Buchanan. Not only did she record a monumental 22 kills and 10 digs, but she also secured the 13th double-double of the season for the Pirates. Throughout the afternoon, Buchanan anchored the offense and made a major defensive contribution.

Set 1: FAU 25, ECU 17
Early in the match, the Pirates struggled to find an offensive rhythm. They posted a challenging negative hitting percentage (-.049) in the opening frame, logging 9 kills against 11 errors. Despite hard work from the defense, the team could not overcome its attacking woes and dropped the first set 17-25.

Set 2: FAU 25, ECU 20
In the second set, ECU showed strong improvement by raising their attacking efficiency to a .179 hitting percentage. The Pirates managed 14 kills, but Florida Atlantic's consistent offense late in the set allowed them to pull away. ECU dropped the set 25-20 as FAU took a 2-0 advantage.

Set 3: ECU 32, FAU 30
This set was the Pirates' finest display of resilience and attack power. ECU generated a match-best 23 kills in the extended frame, hitting an impressive .298 as a team. The score was a tense, back-and-forth affair that required ECU to fight off multiple set points. Led by the commanding efforts of Buchanan, the Pirates refused to surrender, eventually outlasting the Owls for a thrilling 32-30 victory, with nine lead changes, forcing the match into a fourth set.

Set 4: FAU 25, ECU 22
Riding the momentum of the dramatic third set, the Pirates fought valiantly to extend the match to five; however, ECU's offense cooled slightly, having less momentum than in set three. Despite the effort, the Owls managed to edge out the Pirates in the decisive moments of the set, taking it 25-22 to secure the match.

Beyond Buchanan's career night, the Pirates saw strong contributions from middle blocker Kai Bailey, who posted 12 kills and led the team with 9 blocks (3 solo, 6 assists), and setter Taryn Gilreath, who tallied 38 assists. Overall, ECU notched 57 kills and 77 digs in the competitive performance.

The Pirates head down to Texas for their next two matches, starting in Denton against the Mean Green in Denton on October 17. ECU will finish their road trip in San Antonio, taking on the UTSA Roadrunners on October 19.