Pirates Dominate Blazers in 3-0 Sweep - East Carolina University Athletics

Friday, October 16

Birmingham, AL

7:30 P.M.

East Carolina University

13-6,6-1American

UAB

7-12,1-6American

Team	1	2	3	Final F
East Carolina	25	29	25	3
UAB	16	27	21	0

October 16, 2026 | Volleyball

Box Score

HOOVER, Ala. - The East Carolina volleyball team returned to the win column, improving to 13-6 overall (6-1 American) with a straight-set win over the UAB Blazers in the Hoover High School gymnasium on Friday evening (25-16, 29-27, 25-21).

East Carolina dominated from start to finish, limiting the Blazers to a .206 hitting percentage. The Pirate offense was also stout, with Aulie Huff and Ellie Pate each posting double-doubles.

SET ONE: UAB 16, EAST CAROLINA 25
After UAB scored the first two points, Ellie Pate's kill put ECU on the board. The teams then traded points, tying the game 8-8. An Ekwe Anwah kill and a UAB attack error gave ECU the last two points before the media timeout, giving it a slim 15-12 lead. After the media timeout, ECU extended its run to 18-12 to force a UAB timeout behind a UAB setting error, a Taryn Gilreath ace, and an Ellie Pate kill. ECU stayed in control to win the first set, 25-16.

Aulie Huff and Ellie Pate each recorded five kills in the first set for the Pirates, and the ECU defense limited UAB to a .121 hitting percentage. Additionally, Aulie Huff and Taryn Gilreath each recorded an ace.

SET TWO: UAB 27, EAST CAROLINA 29
The two teams once again traded points, tied 8-8 early in the first set. This time, UAB capitalized on two ECU attack errors to hold a tight 15-12 advantage at the media timeout. With UAB up 16-13, the Pirates went on a 7-0 run to take a 20-16 lead, helped by three UAB attack errors, two Aulie Huff kills, and an ace by Ellie Pate. UAB did not go away quietly, battling back to tie the set at 21. The two teams traded points once again to stay even at 25-25. With ECU facing set point and UAB leading 26-25, a kill by Ellie Pate tied the match at 26. The two teams traded points before back-to-back kills by Taryn Gilreath and Aulie Huff sealed set two for East Carolina, 29-27.

In the second set, Aulie Huff and Ellie Pate dominated again, with Huff recording five kills and Pate adding four. The 'Pirates' defense didn't let up, holding UAB to a .167 hitting percentage.

SET THREE: UAB 21, EAST CAROLINA 25
The third set started similarly to the first two, with ECU using four Aulie Huff kills to take an early 8-6 lead. ECU continued its dominant offensive attack with kills from Angeles Alderete, Taryn Gilreath, Ellie Pate and Kai Bailey to hold a 15-12 lead at the media timeout. ECU scored the next two points after the timeout to go up by five on a Taryn Gilreath ace and a UAB attack error. After UAB clawed back to tie at 20, ECU scored the next four points to take a 24-20 lead on two Angeles Alderete kills, a Kai Bailey kill, and an ace by Aulie Huff. A UAB service error gave ECU the 25th and final point it needed to secure the sweep, 25-21.

Aulie Huff and Ellie Pate dominated for ECU on Friday night, with Huff setting a career high with 15 kills and another career high with nine digs for her first career double-double. Ellie Pate had her fourth double-double of the season and 11th of her career with 12 kills and 11 digs, tying her career-high in digs from October 11 against Florida Atlantic. The Pirate defense held UAB to a .206 hitting percentage, maintaining its dominant streak late. The Pirates also had six aces, with Taryn Gilreath contributing three.

UP NEXT
The Pirates look to keep their momentum going as they head to Tennessee to face the Memphis Tigers on Sunday, October 18, at 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in Elma Roane Fieldhouse.