CLEMSON, S.C. – The App State volleyball team battled back from an early deficit but ultimately fell to East Carolina, 3-2, Friday afternoon at Jervey Gymnasium in the Clemson Invitational. The Pirates took the match by set scores of 25-20, 20-25, 17-25, 25-22, 15-12.

The Mountaineers (2-2) dropped the opening set before responding with back-to-back wins in the second and third frames. App State posted 17 kills in the third set while hitting .333, taking a 2-1 lead heading into the final two sets.

East Carolina (4-0) answered with a 25-22 fourth-set victory before edging the Mountaineers in the decisive fifth set.

Bella Hutchens led App State offensively with 18 kills while hitting .289. Brooke Doherty and Delanie Grevengoed each added 13 kills, with Grevengoed hitting .235 on the afternoon.

Molly Teague provided an efficient offensive spark, recording seven kills on 12 attacks without an error for a .500 hitting percentage. Chelsea Gilmore added four kills, two service aces and four block assists.

Raegan Richardson directed the Mountaineers' offense with 41 assists while adding six digs, one service ace and one block assist. Lexi Shondell contributed 13 assists in the five-set effort.

Defensively, MeMe Davis paced App State with 22 digs, while Hutchens added eight and Doherty recorded 10. The Mountaineers finished with seven service aces and 18 block assists.

App State will continue play at the Clemson Invitational Saturday against UNC Greensboro.