A career day from junior outside hitter Brooklyn Leggett wasn’t enough for Wichita State’s volleyball team to defeat East Carolina University on the road.
The Shockers lost to the Pirates for the first-ever time, 3-2 (22-25), (25-18), (25-21), (18-25), (15-10). The teams moved into a tie in the American Athletic Conference standings at 5-3. Wichita State’s season record dropped to 10-10.
Leggett had a career-high 21 kills on a scorching .405 hitting percentage, her best since the first game of the season. She added three digs and two blocks.
The performance was needed for the Shockers, as redshirt freshman outside hitter Alyssa Gonzales, who had led Wichita State in kills through most of the conference play, wilted to only nine in the game on a .048 hitting percentage.
Both teams hit well in the game. ECU hit .311, the highest mark against the Shockers so far in the AAC. Wichita State’s .290 hitting percentage was the team’s highest in a losing effort since 2019.
Middle blockers Sarah Barham and Morgan Stout contributed to the Wichita State offensive effort with 13 kills each. Fifth-year setter Izzi Strand recorded her fifth double-double in AAC play with 50 assists and 16 digs, each pacing the team.
The Shockers utilized a 7-1 run to open up a 12-7 lead in the first set. It looked like WSU would run away with the frame, but a 10-3 rally from East Carolina gave the Pirates a late lead, 21-20.
Wichita State regained its composure and, with the help of two kills from Leggett and two service aces, won the set.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the second set, Wichita State never led again as the Pirates tied the game. The third set started the same, with ECU jumping out to a 5-2 advantage.
The Shockers fought back to a standstill throughout the middle of the set. Leading 21-20, East Carolina rallied for a 4-1 run to close out the set and take the game lead.
Wichita State led wire-to-wire in the fourth set, setting up a winner-take-all fifth frame. The teams traded points for nine straight serves in the final set, with no one taking a two-point lead until a discombobulated Shockers’ return gave ECU an 11-9 advantage.
That proved to be the turning point, as the Pirates went on a 3-0 run, culminating in a service ace that bounced off the net and dropped in front of Strand to move to match point.
After a Wichita State point and a long rally, East Carolina finished the game with a kill.
With the North Carolina road trip in the backseat, Wichita State will return home on Friday, Oct. 25, against Memphis University. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.
