East Carolina University
11-12,3-9American
Temple
15-11,5-7American
Pirates Rally Strong in Middle Sets but Come Up Short Against Temple
November 02, 2025 | Volleyball
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina volleyball showed stretches of dominance and grit inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Sunday afternoon, but fell to Temple in four sets (19–25, 24–26, 25–9, 21–25).
Set One: Temple 25, East Carolina 19
The Pirates got off to a slow start in the opening frame as Temple found early momentum with a balanced attack. Despite key kills from Carlia Northcross and Violet Hakan, ECU couldn't overcome early miscues and dropped the first set 25–19.
Set Two: Temple 26, East Carolina 24
ECU battled back in the second, trading points with Temple in a tight, competitive set. The Pirates' offense found a rhythm with strong play from Aulie Huff in the middle and steady setting from Taryn Gilreath. Northcross added key kills late, helping ECU push the Owls to the brink, but Temple held on for a narrow 26–24 win to go up 2–0 in the match.
Set Three: Temple 9, East Carolina 25
East Carolina came out firing in the third, completely taking control from the start. The Pirates dominated the set with crisp passing, efficient hitting, and strong serving, building a commanding lead. Huff, Hakan, and Gilreath connected for a series of quick points as ECU hit an impressive .517 and cruised to a 25–9 win to cut Temple's lead to 2–1.
Set Four: Temple 25, East Carolina 21
The fourth set was another close battle, with the Pirates continuing to fight to extend the match. Huff and Northcross kept the offense rolling, while libero Elle Jackson anchored the defense in the back row. However, Temple used a late run to pull away, taking the final set 25–21 to secure the match victory.
Huff led the Pirates with a match-high 14 kills, tying her career best. East Carolina (11–12, 3–9 American) have four more games before postseason, with their final two away games against Wichita State and Tulsa coming up on Novermber 7 and 9.
