Memphis Grabs 3-2 Road Win at ECU

Friday, November 13

Greenville, N.C.

5:30 p.m. ET

University of Memphis

16-13, 7-9AAC

East Carolina

11-15, 4-11AAC

Memphis

East Carolina

Photo by: Brandon Dill

Nov 13, 2015 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Four Tigers with double digit kills and four with double digit digs in road win.

By: Tammy DeGroff

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Led by four players with double digit kills and four with double digit digs, the Memphis volleyball team (16-13, 7-9 American) dug out a 3-2 road win at East Carolina (11-15, 4-11 American), Friday afternoon.

"ECU is a tough match up for us,î Head Coach April Jauregui said. ìThey have some real strong middles that can do some big damage. They had a big crowd tonight too and a loud atmosphere, I am happy with our teamís composure throughout the match, especially bouncing back after the fourth set."

Memphis got off to a quick start, picking up a 25-14 win thanks to a five point cushion the Tigers built early in the match. But East Carolina regrouped with a 4-1 lead to start the second set, and while Memphis could continually pull within one or two down in the set, the Pirates evened the match at 1-all with a 25-20 second set victory.

Out of the intermission, Memphis again took a lead in the match, going up 2-1 with a 25-20 set victory. But ECU came out and stayed on the attack all throughout the fourth set, working off the energy of their crowd to close out a quick 25-13 fourth set victory.

The fifth set was more closely contested. The two teams tied at all points between five and 11 before East Carolina got a kill from Kierre Lee-Dunson and a Tiger attack error built a 13-11 Pirate lead. Catlin Lilly then downed one of her 10 kills and Summer Morgan and Oluchi Agomuo blocked an ECU shot to tie the match at 13-all. Memphis then took just its second lead of the set when Faith Myers scored a kill, forcing an ECU timeout. The Tigers closed out the victory with a kill from Agomuo to grab the 15-13 fifth set victory.

McKenzie Hayes led Memphis with 12 kills, adding four blocks, while Morgan finished with 11 kills and seven total blocks. The 11 kills gives Morgan back-to-back-to-back matches with double-digit kills for the first time in her Tiger career. Lilly and Torika Baleilekutu each added 10 kills in the win. Faith Myers quarterbacked the offense with 42 assist, adding 13 digs. Lindsey Purvis led the Tiger defense with 19 digs and added three service aces.

"I think we followed the game plan well overall,î Jauregui said. ìWe had a very balanced attack, which kept the pressure off our hitters. This match couldíve gone either way. I think some big defensive stops was the difference in the outcome."

Memphis closes out its 2015 conference road slate at UCF and USF next Friday and Sunday.