SMU Volleyball Sweeps East Carolina

GREENVILLE, N.C. (SMU) SMU defeated East Carolina 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-11) Sunday in Minges Coliseum, led by Janelle Giordano‘s 15 kills, a career high in a three-set match. The Mustangs improved to 19-7 overall, 12-2 in the American Athletic Conference, while the Pirates fell to 14-10, 4-10 in The American.

The Mustangs scored the first five points of the third set, and had an 11-2 lead before ECU took a timeout. The Pirates scored two of the next three points, but were never a threat to avoid keeping SMU from completing its 10th sweep of the season.

SMU hit .392 as a team, two points shy of the season-high .394 attack percentage SMU hit against Connecticut in a 3-1 win Oct. 7. The Mustangs scored 48 kills, the most in a three-set match this season. Katie Hegarty and Kristen Stehling each added eight kills for SMU. Defensively, SMU held ECU to a .138 attack percentage, recording 44 digs, with 18 from Morgan Heise and 10 from Lauren Mills, who also scored seven kills. Brittany Adams also had seven kills. Ashley McRae led ECU with 16 kills, but was one of just two Pirates to score more than three kills.

Giordano scored seven kills in the first set to lead SMU to a 25-22 win, taking a 1-0 lead in the match. Leading by one, 16-15, the Mustangs scored four straight to take a 20-15 lead. East Carolina rallied back, cutting the lead to one, 21-20, but SMU scored four of the next five to end the set. SMU hit .405 with 19 kills as a team, and limited the Pirates to 10 kills on a .188 attack percentage.

SMU started the second set on an 8-3 run, scoring six kills during the stretch. After the Pirates scored two of the next three points, SMU went on a 7-1 run to take a 10-point lead, 16-6. The Mustangs kept the Pirates from getting back into the set, winning 25-16 to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Giordano led the attack with five kills, and SMU hit .364 with 15 kills as a team.

The Mustangs return to Moody Coliseum Thursday to host UCF at 7 p.m. SMU takes on USF at home Saturday at 1 p.m. before playing three of its last four matches on the road.

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