Tulane University
East Carolina
Volleyball Completes Comeback at East Carolina
Oct 28, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 28, 2011
Box Score (PDF) | Season Statistics (PDF)
GREENVILLE, N.C. - After nearly coming back from a two set deficit last Sunday, the Tulane volleyball team completed the two-sets to none comeback against East Carolina on the road on Friday (October 28) at Minges Coliseum. Tulane trailed 2-0 in the match, but rallied after the break to win three straight sets to claim the match by scores of 20-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21, 16-14.
Tulane (9-14, 4-8 C-USA) led by two points in the early going of the opening set, claiming a 5-3 lead in a Milica Jovic service ace. The Pirates would follow with four straight points to take the lead for good, but the Green Wave was never out of the match. East Carolina built their largest lead of four points after a TU attacking error made it 16-12 in favor of the Pirates. Tulane closed the gap to just one point twice down the stretch, but ECU eventually claimed the opening set, 25-20.
The two teams exchanged leads in the second set and Jovic gave Tulane an early 7-3 advantage with a kill. Izabela Grot's kill made it 10-5, marking the largest lead for Tulane in the set, but East Carolina eventually tied things at 11 points apiece. The Green Wave retook the lead at 16-14 and held an 18-16 lead, but the Pirates outscored TU 9-3 the remainder of the set to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
ECU (2-19, 0-12 C-USA) raced out to an 8-5 lead in the third set and led by one point, 13-12, at the midway point of the third set, but that is where the Green Wave began their rally. Tulane rattled off 13 of the final 17 points and recorded their first set win of the evening. Cori Martone collected four kills down the stretch and Grot had two kills and a block to lead the Green Wave comeback and the 25-17 set victory.
It looked grim for Tulane as East Carolina dominated most of the four set, but Tulane again rallied in the later portion of the set to grab victory from the jaws of defeat. With the score sitting at 18-13 in favor of the Pirates, Grot would place the offense on her shoulders and lead the comeback. Grot posted four kills and had a service ace, while Anna Wruck added four kills to lead the comeback and even that match at 2-2 with the 25-21 set win.
The script was reversed in the fifth set, with Tulane owning the early lead and East Carolina rallying to tie the set late. The Green Wave, however, were up to the challenge in the end the tallied the final two points to claim the set and the match. The Olive and Blue led 6-3 and 12-10, but ECU tied the match at 12 and grabbed the lead briefly at 14-13. An attacking error from ECU and a two kill from Cori Martone would lead the Green Wave to victory, though, giving them the Conference USA victory in dramatic fashion.
Tulane hit under .200 in each of the first two sets, but rattled off hitting percentages of .482, .222 and .389 the remainder of the match to attain the victory. Martone collected 25 kills and added 21 digs and Grot added 14 kills and 11 digs to claim double-doubles, both their first of the season. Mandelbaum handed out a season-best 53 assists, while Jovic (12) and Wruck (11) each posted double-digit kill matches.
Tulane will now head to Huntington, W.Va. to take on Marshall on Sunday, October 30. The Green Wave will face the Thundering Herd at Noon Central time.
--www.TulaneGreenWave.com--
