GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Wichita State University volleyball team claimed a 3-1 victory at East Carolina Sunday afternoon, Nov. 4, inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. The Shockers won by set scores of 25-17, 18-25, 25-23 and 25-22.

Wichita State (12-12, 7-6 American) is slated to return home to Charles Koch Arena to take on the Houston Cougars Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m.

Junior Alex Koon posted a team-high 12 kills to go along with four blocks, while freshman Grace Burken added 10 kills and hit .304 with a career-best five blocks, and senior Tabitha Brown compiled her seventh double-double of the season with 10 kills and 15 digs, leading the Shockers.

Sophomore Giorgia Civita tallied 20 digs and a career-best three service aces, while Kara Bown matched her career-high with a pair of aces.

WSU compiled a season-high 11 blocks and added seven service aces in the contest.

The Shockers used a 4-0 run in the opening set to turn a 3-2 lead into a 7-2 advantage after a pair of kills from Burken and Megan Taflinger. The Pirates (12-12, 4-9 Amercan) pulled within two at 9-7 after a kill from Sydney Hall, but WSU answered with another 4-0 spurt to push its lead to 13-7. ECU would get no closer than four points the remainder of the set, as the Shockers gained a 1-0 lead in the match with a 25-17 win.

In set two, both teams were tied, 11-11, before East Carolina scored nine of the next 11 points to open up a commanding 20-13 lead. The Pirates would go on to win the set, 25-18, tying the match, 1-1.

Set three was deadlocked, 10-10, before Wichita State scored six consecutive points to gain a 16-10 advantage. The run included a pair of service aces from Abby Pugh and block assists from Koon and Burken. ECU was able to trim the set to 24-23, but a kill from Burken sealed the set for the Shockers, 25-23, to put them back in front, 2-1.   

The fourth set was tightly contested, with neither team opening up more than a five-point advantage. Wichita State clung to a 22-20 advantage before a Burken kill and block assists from Koon and Burken gave WSU match-point at 24-20. ECU didn't go quietly, however, as the Pirates trimmed the lead to 24-22 before Koon delivered the decisive kill to secure the victory for WSU.

Bri Wood posted 17 kills, while Shelby Martin had a double-double with 38 assists and 10 digs, pacing East Carolina.