Sports editor Jaralynn Tammi Morellano says the Golden Hurricane trailed at the start of each set.
The University of Tulsa’s volleyball team went on the road last week to Greeneville, N.C. to face the East Carolina Pirates on Friday, Nov. 8. The Golden Hurricane caused an uproar in the Minges Coliseum when it knocked down ECU from its No. 3 position in the American Athletic Conference and gave it its first home game loss of the season. This match improved its overall record to 16-9 (8-5 in the AAC). The Pirates dropped to 9-4 in the conference with a 16-7 overall record.
Slow and steady wins the race is the perfect descriptor for this match against Tulsa and ECU as the Golden Hurricane overcame the Pirates in each set despite starting off behind its opponents in each set. Despite its weak foot at the beginning of every set, its consistency from its attackers would always steady its stance and lead the team to its ultimate victory. Leading the pack was Tatum Tornatta with 14 kills. Behind her was a group of capable fighters such as Jolana Smidlova (6 kills), Beth Bayless (7 kills), Rachel Brown (8 kills), and Tytiana Johnson (11 kills). These kills were set up and orchestrated by the reliable hands of setters Brayden Hipp and Brittany Bacorn.
Tulsa had a strong start in the first set, but ECU quickly shut down its opening kill with a 4-0 run to put Tulsa trailing 2-5. It was a rigorous battle for the start of the match, the Golden Hurricane unable to tie the match until 12-12. The Golden Hurricane would continue to fight and cling to the back of ECU. Its efforts would finally pay off when it was able to finally take the lead when it mattered the most. With the score 18-17, this being Tulsa’s first lead since the start of the set, it put its full effort into finishing off the set.
It held its lead, and when the score board reached 21-19, the Pirates took a timeout to talk strategy. The Golden Hurricane would find itself in a sticky situation when ECU got what it wanted and tied the game 23-23. This would not intimidate Tulsa, however, and it would push through and take the set 25-23 with a kill from Brown.
This set started off in favor of ECU, Tulsa unable to take a lead until Tornatta forced a 6-5 lead over ECU. It would be a series of rallies from then on, its largest lead of the set being by four points. The fans would see a similar situation when ECU would tie the game at 20-20 to bring the set to another close ending. Again, the Golden Hurricane would keep its cool and lock down its court. With another classic Tornatta kill, followed by a service ace served up by Marta Pecalli, Tulsa would serve up offensive efforts that pushed it towards another winning set. ECU would try to force itself into Tulsa’s court, but Ari Mongare would shut the Pirates down at the net and aid Tulsa in finishing the set 25-22.
The final set saw Tulsa trailing at the very set again, but just as it did in the first two, the Golden Hurricane would overcome the pirates eventually. In the end it forced ECU into a 3-0 match sweep when it took the last set 25-22.
Tulsa continued on the road and traveled to Charlotte on Sunday, Nov. 10 where it faced the 49ers in an ESPN+ covered match. The team will return home for the week and see its next action against UTSA in the Reynolds Center at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15.
