Oct. 23, 2015
GREENVILLE, N.C. (UCFKnights.com) - UCF Volleyball needed just three sets to earn its 10th straight win over East Carolina, sweeping the Pirates in Minges Coliseum on Friday evening.
"Our team did a great job of respecting each other's effort," acting head coach Michelle Chatman said. "We had a lot of scramble plays and they did a great job. When we got into those rough patches, they kept moving forward. They really embraced the grind, and that helped us come out with a win on the road."
UCF (11-11, 5-5 AAC) used 11 kills from junior Jale Hervey and nine from redshirt freshman Maddie Haggerty to earn its second American Athletic Conference road sweep. Senior Dana Faught finished with 16 digs and 16 assists, while freshman Jordan Pingel recorded a match-high 18 digs.
Sophomore Ann Richards hit .600 with six kills and four blocks in the match, while redshirt sophomore Taylor Wikey tallied seven kills and five blocks.
Strong Start
? The Knights hit .370 with just two errors while holding ECU to a 0.57 hitting percentage in the 25-12 opening set win.
? Ann Richards terminated all three of her attacks for a 1.000 hitting percentage, while senior Abbie Fleener hit .429 with three kills.
Second Set Surge
? East Carolina scored the first five points of the second set, and the Pirates kept a five-point lead for most of the game. Trailing 19-14, the Knights came out of a timeout to score five of the next seven points. Pulling within two, 21-19, UCF forced ECU to call timeout.
? A pair of kills from Maddie Haggerty tied the set at 21 and a block from redshirt sophomore Taylor Wickey and Jale Hervey gave UCF its first lead of the set.
? The Knights closed the set on a 9-2 run to hold the 2-0 edge in the match.
Going Streaking
? The Knights won their 10th straight match against East Carolina. Eight of those 10 matches were three-set victories.
? UCF improved to 12-8 all-time against the Pirates, 11-2 in the Dagenais era.
Next Up
? UCF, who is presented by Holiday Inn Orlando East UCF Area, is back in action on Oct. 30 at Houston.
? The Knights are back at The Venue on Nov. 8, hosting East Carolina at 1 p.m.
Story by Megan Herboth; Photo by Brad Helton