Pitt Returns Home to Host Miami, Florida State

Match Notes
Friday at Miami: Live Stats | ACC Network Extra
Sunday at Florida State: Live Stats | ACC Network Extra

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (17-6, 10-2 ACC) will return home in search of earning season sweeps against both Miami (15-4, 9-4 ACC) and Florida State (12-9, 6-7 ACC).

THE SCHEDULE

Pitt will face Miami Friday, Nov. 3 in Pittsburgh at the Fitzgerald Fieldhouse. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
The Panthers will close out the weekend against Florida State Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

THE SERIES

Pitt and Miami will square off for the 11^th time in program history, holding a two-match lead over the Hurricanes in the all-time series, 6-4. The Panthers were victorious when they played the Hurricanes earlier this season, coming away with a win 3-1 in Coral Gables, Fla.
Pitt will also face Florida State for just the 11^th time, with the all-time series tied 5-5. The Panthers also saw the Seminoles earlier this year and came away with a four-set victory.

SCOUTING MIAMI

Miami enters the weekend with a 15-4 overall record and a 9-4 mark in conference play.
The Hurricanes were victorious in their last three matches, sweeping three ACC foes in Florida State, NC State and North Carolina.
Since Pitt last saw Miami, the Hurricanes have gone 6-1 in their last seven matches.
Miami will rely on Olga Strantzali to lead the offense against the Panthers as she not only leads her team in kills (357), but also leads the ACC in kills per set by a large margin with 4.96.

SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE

Florida State will visit Pitt with a 12-9 overall mark and a 6-7 record in ACC play.
In their most recent match-up, the Seminoles were swept by Miami Wednesday.
Since seeing the Panthers Oct. 6, Florida State has gone 3-4 in their last seven matches.
Milica Kubura, who leads the Seminoles in kills (291), kills/set (3.68) and hitting percentage (.315) will lead Florida State's attack.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt fell to ACC rival Louisville Friday, October 27 in a five-set thriller. Despite the loss, the Panthers produced on the stat sheet with more digs and aces than the Cardinals. Setter Kamalani Akeo provided 34 assists in the match to go with 13 digs for her third double-double of the season.
To cap off the weekend, Pitt defeated Notre Dame in sweeping fashion for their 16^th win and 10^th ACC win of the season. The Panthers almost doubled the Irish's kill output with 47 to their 27, and tallied four aces, 41 assists and 52 digs. Redshirt sophomore Stephanie Williams contributed her fifth double-double of the season against Notre Dame, notching 13 kills and 11 digs. Freshman Kayla Lund also contributed 10 kills and nine digs in the win.

LOOKING AHEAD

Pitt will close out their home slate next weekend when the squad squares off with Wake Forest Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. and Duke Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. at Fitzgerald Field House in Pittsburgh. The Panthers will host senior night against the Blue Devils.

FIRST PLACE PANTHERS

Pitt currently sits tied with NC State and Louisville atop of the ACC with a 10-2 record in conference play.

LEADING LADIES

The Panthers currently lead the conference in two different categories including hitting percentage (.272) and kills per set (14.07).
Pitt also ranks second in match win-loss percentage (.739) and team service aces (114), while sitting third in aces/set (1.37), assists/set (13.00), team kills (1,168) and team assists (1,079).

WILLIAMS IN DOUBLE-DIGITS

Redshirt sophomore Stephanie Williams has hit in double-digits 17 times this season, including five where she has also recorded a double-double.
From Sept 9, 2017 to Oct 15, 2017, Williams posted 12-straight matches in which she recorded 10 or more kills.
On the season, Williams has tallied 256 kills, good for 3.16 per set, while hitting at a .293 clip.

MAKING HER MARK

One of three international products on the roster, sophomore Nika Markovic has had a major impact on the Panthers' success since her arrival in 2016.
So far this season, the right side hitter has dominated both sides of the ball for Pitt. She has tallied 283 kills, 3.82 per set, to lead the team and rank fourth in the ACC. Markovic boasts 155 digs, 26 aces and 68 blocks.
The Slovenian has recorded four double-doubles this season and has hit in double-digits 14 times this season.
Last season, the Braslovce, Slovenia native was sidelined in early October due to foot surgery for three games. She was also limited in three more contests before being given the full go on Oct. 28 against NC State.
The team fell into a lull in her absence, producing a 2-4 record. After her return, Pitt picked up its play, rattling off four straight wins, including an upset at home against No. 8 North Carolina.
In the upset over the Tar Heels, Markovic had a career-high 19 kills, which led the Panthers. She also produced 10 kills in the win over NC State that same weekend, and tallied 19 digs over the two games. She was honored as the ACC Freshman of the Week for her efforts.
Markovic ended her freshman campaign with 233 kills and a .266 hitting percentage. She also racked up 39 aces, second best on the team.

PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF

In 2016 as a freshman, Layne Van Buskirk was one of the most efficient attackers for Pitt and the now-sophomore is picking up right where she left off.
The Windsor, Ontario native is hitting .336 for the Panthers, ranking fifth in the ACC.
Last season as a newcomer, she tallied a .345 hitting percentage, which ranked second for the Panthers. As the lone freshman in the top 10 of the category, Van Buskirk's clip ranked sixth in the ACC.


HITTING 100

Head coach Dan Fisher earned his 100th win at Pitt with a 3-1 victory over Syracuse at home Sept. 22.
Fisher, who is in his fifth season with the Panthers, owns a 109-44 (.712) record with the University, while boasting 185 career wins as a head coach.

MILESTONE/RECORD BOOK WATCH

Junior setter Kamalani Akeo currently sits seventh in career assists with 2,786. She will look to climb further throughout the season, as she is 330 assists away from sixth place (3,116).
Senior Mariah Bell will look to break into the top 10 in career kills and aces in 2017. Bell is 148 kills away from moving into the top 10 (1,071) in the category and just 87 away from hitting 1,000 mark. She also needs just four aces to enter the record book (110).
With her 33 digs at the Dayton Invitational, Angela Seman broke into the career digs category of the record book. The redshirt junior now boasts 1,312 digs, good for seventh-best in program history. She is now just 102 away from moving into sixth (1,414).

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Pitt Returns Home to Host Miami, Florida State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kamalani Akeo

Mariah Bell

Kayla Lund

Nika Markovic

Angela Seman

Layne Van Buskirk

Stephanie Williams

Pitt Returns Home to Host Miami, Florida State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kamalani Akeo

Mariah Bell

Kayla Lund

Nika Markovic

Angela Seman

Layne Van Buskirk

Stephanie Williams

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