Tulsa Holds off East Carolina in Five Sets

Friday, November 19

Greenville, N.C.

5:00 PM

Tulsa

14-12,9-8AAC

ECU

9-17,5-12AAC

Tulsa

East Carolina

Tulsa Holds off East Carolina in Five Sets

11/19/2021 8:12:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – After leading the match two sets to zero, the Tulsa volleyball team held off East Carolina's comeback attempt in five sets Friday night, 25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 22-25, 15-10. Tulsa improves to 14-12 overall, 9-8 in American Athletic Conference play, while East Carolina drops to 9-17, 5-12 in AAC play. Tulsa sweeps the season series over ECU after also beating the Pirates back on October 17.

Maggie Hembree had one of her best matches in a Tulsa uniform, recording a career high 18 kills on .586 hitting percentage while also having a team-high six blocks. Kayley Cassaday also set a career-high in kills with 23, one more than she had against North Texas earlier this year.

Roosa Rautio recorded her fifth double-double of the season, notching a career-high 63 assists to go along with 10 digs. The senior setter also tallied three blocks, while Marta Pecalli set her new career-high in digs with 31.

Tulsa got off to a quick start, winning the first two sets to go up 2-0 in the set. In the third set, the Hurricane held a 22-18 lead, and were on the way to a sweep when the Pirates went on an 8-2 run to take the third set and force a fourth set.

The fourth set was similar to the third set. Tulsa held a 19-13 lead and were just six points away from a four-set win, but East Carolina refused to go away, finishing the fourth set on a 12-3 run to force a winner-take-all fifth set.

The Hurricane got out to a quick start, going on a 5-2 run to start the final set. Later, with Tulsa up 13-10 in the set, a Bailey Rowe kill was followed up by a Maddie Flora service ace that clinched the five-set victory for Tulsa. The win marked the seventh road win of the season for the Hurricane.

Tulsa tallied a season-best 72 kills as a team, at least 11 more than any other match this season, while having the second most service aces (6) and digs (91) so far this year.

Tulsa will look to continue its road success this season when it takes on Cincinnati in Ohio on November 21^st at noon.