Pirates Fall In Five Sets To Liberty

Saturday, September 13

Williamsburg, Va.

2:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

7-1,0-0American

Liberty

7-1,0-0CUSA

Liberty

East Carolina

September 13, 2025 | Volleyball

Box Score

Williamsburg, Va. – The East Carolina volleyball team found itself in another battle at the Tribe Invitational but the Pirates were unable to remain unbeaten, falling in five sets to Liberty (11-25, 35-33, 23-25, 25-22, 14-16) on Saturday afternoon at Kaplan Arena.

The Pirates (7-1) had four players in double figures for kills led by Kai Bailey's team-high 13, followed by Aulie Huff (12), Sydney Buchanan (11) and Ellie Pate (10). Taryn Gilreath had a career day with 52 assists and the sophomore setter was named to the Tribe Invitational All-Tournament Team.

For the first time all season, the Pirates were outhit and outplayed offensively by their opponent as the Flames finished the match with a 78-58 edge on kills and an advantage in hitting percentage at .298 compared to ECU's season-low .192.

Paige Overcash led Liberty (7-1) with a match-high 30 kills.

Liberty jumped out to an early 10-3 lead on East Carolina in the first set and the Pirates had to burn both timeouts early in the set after back-to-back kills from Overcash put Liberty ahead 14-6. The Pirates were never able to recover from the slow start, dropping the first set for the second straight match.

Like in their previous match, ECU responded with more urgency in the second set but the Flames still remained in control early on in the set, taking a 16-11 lead on a kill from Molly Littlefield. The Pirates got back into the set with four straight kills to pull within a point and force a Liberty timeout. ECU eventually took a 22-21 lead on Brooklyn Allison's ace and the teams exchanged leads seven times before the Pirates ended the marathon set on Carlia Northcross' service ace.

The Pirates took the momentum from the second set win into the third set early on as Pate's service ace put the Pirates in front 11-7. Liberty answered with a quick 5-1 run to tie the set at 12-12 before ECU went on a 5-1 run of their own to extend their lead to 17-13. After Ali Butrum's service ace put the Pirates up 20-19, the Flames scored six of the last nine points in the set to take a 2-1 edge going into the fourth.

Both teams went back and forth in the fourth set and the Pirates found themselves in the exact same position as they were in the previous set with a 20-19 lead on a service ace, this time from Allison. The Pirates were able to avoid a late surge in the set as multiple attack errors from Liberty allowed the Pirates to take the set, 25-22 and send the contest to a fifth set.

In the fifth set, ECU appeared to be in position to win the match after Buchanan's kill gave the Pirates a 13-10 lead but Liberty stormed back with a 6-1 run to take the set and the match.

Up Next
East Carolina will look to bounce back in front of their home crowd for the first time this season on Tuesday against Wake Forest at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.