Aug. 31, 2005
GREENVILLE, N.C.--After a close loss to William & Mary to open the season, East Carolina volleyball will look to pick up their first win Thursday night against N.C. A&T at 7 p.m. in Greensboro before traveling to Boone to play in the Broyhill Inn Appalachian Classic against High Point, Tennessee Tech and host Appalachian State this weekend.
ABOUT THE PIRATES
Senior outside hitter Pam Ferris recorded a career-high 23 kills against the Tribe on Saturday. Ferris finished with a double-double on the night after picking up 17 digs. She led all Pirates with a .373 attack percentage with only four errors in 51 attack attempts. Junior setter Heidi Krug came just one assist short of her career high, tallying 63 assists in a losing effort. Krug also recorded 17 digs while redshirt freshman libero Trish Monroe (22) and senior outside hitter Katie Jannusch (13) gave ECU four players with double-digit digs. Junior middle blocker Jaime Bevan recorded 14 kills while senior outside hitter Erica Wilson and redshirt freshman middle blocker Kim Jefferson each finished with 13. Bevan led the Pirates with four block assists while Ferris finished with two.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA A&T
The Aggies, who return five starters from last year's squad that went 10-20, lost their season opener to Appalachian State, 3-1, this past week. Outside hitter Arlene Mitchell and libero Lauren Walker lead N.C. A&T after both finished 2nd team All-MEAC last season. Mitchell, who finished with 14 kills against App. St., ranked third in the MEAC with 4.32 kills per game. Walker led the Aggies with 20 digs versus the Mountaineers.
ABOUT APPALACHIAN STATE
The Mountaineers enter the weekend tournament with a record of 2-0 after picking up wins in their first two matches on the road at N.C. A&T and UNC Asheville. Stefanie Panzer leads the Mountaineers with 30 kills after recording 16 versus the Aggies and 14 versus UNCA. Lourelle Rau has 78 set assists in two matches (11.14 apg) while Kali Rumberger's 32 digs leads five Mountaineers who have double-digit digs thus far. The Pirates will face App. St. Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.
ABOUT HIGH POINT
The Panthers picked up a win in their opening match after knocking off Gardner-Webb, 3-2, on Tuesday at home. Four players picked up double-digit kills led by Michelle Feiser's 18. Feiser also lead the team in both assists (28) and digs (8). Tara Mahoney (19) and Lauren Hatch (10) also picked up double-digit assists while Ashley Johnson led the Panthers with six block assists. The Pirates will face High Point Saturday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m.
ABOUT TENNESSEE TECH
The Golden Eagles, who finished 12-16 last season, will open their season this weekend in Boone. Tennessee Tech returns six letterwinners and three starters, including senior outside hitter Anne Morrow, who finished second on the team with 382 kills last season. Morrow is joined offensively by Jessica Seyfert, who recorded 104 kills and 79 total blocks last season. Setter Nancy Meyer returns after collecting 742 assists last season. ECU will play their second match on Saturday at 5 p.m. against the Golden Eagles.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Pirates are 11-4 all-time against N.C. A&T in the series between the two schools. The Pirates defeated the Aggies last season in Minges, 3-0, but lost in Greensboro, 1-3, the last time the two teams met at N.C. A&T. ECU holds a combined record of 17-16 against the three teams in the Appalachian State tournament. The ECU-ASU series is tied 12-12, the Pirates hold a 5-2 advantage over High Point, while East Carolina has lost its only two meetings versus Tennessee Tech.
UP NEXT
ECU will take the mid-week off after the Appalachian State tournament before heading to Bowling Green, Ohio to face Ohio State, Chicago State and host Bowling Green in a tournament Sept. 9-10.
