W&M Defeats ECU, 3-0, on the Opening Day of the Tribe Classic

Lindsey Pflugner records her third consecutive double-double

08/31/07 10:00PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary volleyball team earned its second consecutive victory with a 3-0 (30-26, 30-28, 30-24) triumph against East Carolina on the opening day of the Tribe Classic. With the win, W&M improves its record to 2-1, while the Pirates fall to 2-3.

Sophomore Lindsey Pflugner registered her third double-double of the season with 12 kills and 11 digs, while classmate Jillian Brown tallied a career-high 11 kills on a .444 hitting percentage (11-3-18). Junior Abbi Owens also played well and finished with 12 kills on a .310 attack percentage (12-3-29). Freshman Ginny Bray contributed a team-best seven total blocks, while classmate Cassie Crumal dished out a match-high 40 assists.

Neither team was able to pull ahead during the early stages of the opening game. With the College leading by just one point, 7-6, it began to build a lead with a 5-1 run. Shortly thereafter, W&M took its biggest advantage of the stanza, 18-11, following an attack error by ECU’s Stephanie Turner. While the Pirates fought back and eventually cut the deficit to just one, 26-25, the Tribe scored four of the final five points to claim the set. Pflugner led the Green and Gold with five kills in the frame.

As was the case in the opening game, the action was tightly contested during the initial portion of the second set. While the Tribe opened up a four-point cushion, 13-9, after a put-away by Crumal, ECU quickly charged back with four straight points to even the score. W&M answered with a 6-1 spurt that was punctuated with a kill by Brown to take a five-point lead. However, the Pirates slowly worked their way back into the game and tied the score at 23. With the set still even at 28, the Tribe utilized an Owens’ put-away and an ECU attack error to claim the game. Junior Molly Bohman and Brown each had five block assists in the set.

While the Tribe would win the final game, it trailed by five, 14-9, midway though the third set. W&M gradually narrowed the margin and tied the score at 17. Soon thereafter, the College turned a two-point lead into a comfortable seven-point advantage, 28-21, by rattling off a 6-1 run that was capped by an Owens’ kill. ECU was unable to get any closer than five the rest of the way, as the Tribe took the game and the match.

The Green and Gold will return to action on Saturday with matches against Kent State and Southern Illinois in the second day of the Tribe Classic. W&M will take on the Golden Flashes at 1:30 p.m. before squaring off against the Salukis at 7:30 p.m.

Tribe Classic Results – Day One
Kent State defeated Southern Illinois, 3-0 (30-23, 30-21, 30-23)
William and Mary defeated East Carolina, 3-0 (30-26, 30-28, 30-24)