Massey and Cunningham named to all-tournament team

Greensboro, N.C. (Sept. 7, 2019) – ETSU’s volleyball team suffered their first loss on Saturday afternoon at the hands of Coastal Carolina 3-2 (25-18, 22-25, 25-15, 23-25, 17-15). Kaela Massey (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Olivia Cunningham (Knoxville, Tenn.) were named to the Coastal Carolina Classic All-Tournament Team after combining for 39 kills in today's effort.

With the first loss of the season ETSU drops to 5-1 and Coastal Carolina improved to 6-0. This was the first five-set match of the season for both teams.

Set 1 (25-18 CCU): The first set had five ties and four lead changes, all at the beginning of the frame. The score was 7-7 when the Chanticleers began to find momentum. They went on a 10-2 run before an ETSU timeout. A late push by ETSU wasn’t enough as the Blue and Gold fell in the first set 25-18. Massey finished with five kills in the set (11 attempts).

Set 2 (25-22 ETSU): Like the first, the beginning third of the set was back and forth, but ETSU began to take charge with a 13-9 lead. After CCU put on a run of their own, the two teams alternated points until ETSU held a 22-20 lead. ETSU benefited from two attack errors late in the frame to tie the match at one.

Set 3 (25-15 CCU): Coastal Carolina got off to the best start of any set in the match with a commanding 8-2 lead. The lead got as far as 17-5 before the Bucs began to battle back. The Blue and Gold closed out the set on a 10-8 run, but it was too late as the Chanticleers took the frame 25-15 and a 2-1 advantage in the match.

Set 4 (25-23 ETSU): Like the previous set, CCU got off to another 3-0 start but ETSU started their comeback much sooner. The Bucs were led in the set by Massey who hit .500 with six kills. The set was tied 20-20 after both teams burned a timeout. Two kills by Massey and a kill from Sara Esposito (Venezia, Italy) in the final five points gave the Bucs the set 25-23 and forced a fifth frame.

Set 5 (17-15 CCU): The fifth set was all but ordinary. ETSU got off to a 5-2 run before forcing a Coastal Carolina timeout. CCU went on a 4-0 to take the lead and it was back-and-forth from there. After an attack attempt from the Chanticleers, a controversial touch call was made at the net, giving the Chanticleers the point. After the point, ETSU received two red cards and now faced a 10-7 deficit. The Bucs stood their ground and tied the set at 11 with four straight kills. The set was knotted up at 15 when Chanticleers two straight points on a kill and a block to take the match 3-2.  

Key stats:

• Massey continued to be a threat at the net with 19 kills on 36 attempts to host a .472 hitting percentage. The Brentwood, Tenn. native finished with an ace and no errors on 19 service attempts. She had six digs and four block assists.
• Cunningham continued to dominate in her first year with the Bucs hitting .310 with 20 kills, a career-high. She logged two aces and finished one dig shy of a double-double.
• Marija Popovic (Belgrade, Serbia) saw action all of the court with 22 digs and seven assists. Her 22 digs tie a season-high set last weekend vs Troy.
• Emily Arnold (Louisville, Ky.) set her career-high with 46 helpers. She was also hit .500 (3-for-6) with six digs and a block.
• Esposito was the third Buc with double-digit kills (13) and totaled four blocks.
• Both teams hit below .300 in the match.

Inside the numbers

• The second frame was the first set Coastal Carolina had lost all season. ETSU broke their program record of 16 straight sets won to start the season.
• Massey set a career high with 19 kills, just one day after setting a career-best in hitting percentage.
• Massey received consecutive all-tournament honors for the first time in her career.
• Cunningham has had double-digit kills in every match she has played in this season (5).
• Cunningham (kills) and Arnold (assists) also both set career-highs.

The Bucs are back in action next weekend at the UAB Invitational. The Blue and Gold face Alcorn St. on Friday, Sept. 13 at 4 p.m.

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