University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Georgetown
PITT VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS GEORGETOWN IN CONFERENCE MATCHUP
10/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 7, 2006
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt volleyball team won its third match against a Big East opponent today with a three-set sweep over Georgetown. The Panthers (14-6, 3-2 Big East) hit .215 against the Hoyas (5-11, 0-4 Big East) and put up 13 blocks for the win.
"I thought we came out a little flat today," said Head Coach Chris Beerman. "Luckily, we had some people come off the bench and play well. I would say the bench really saved us in that first game."
Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton) was one of the players Beerman was most pleased with after stepping in halfway through game one to have her best performance of the season. She recorded 34 assists and set career highs with four block assists and four total blocks. She also had five digs and two service aces. Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) led the team in blocking with eight. She additionally contributed 11 kills and had a .350 hitting percentage. Kim Kern (Bradenton, Fla./Manatee), Pitt's other key middle blocker, had eight kills and three blocks with a .286 hitting percentage.
Outside hitter Stephanie Ross (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) had the team's only double-double, leading with 13 kills and 10 digs. She had one block and hit .242 over three games. Freshman Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) recorded seven kills and four blocks. She also had five digs and one service ace. Junior Diana Andreyko (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) had four kills, eight digs and four blocks.
The Panthers started game one with a 3-1 lead, and moved ahead, 9-5, after a kill from Moses. The Hoyas, however, made a comeback to take a 15-13 lead. Georgetown continued to move ahead, 21-16, after a service ace. The Panthers didn't let up, though, closing in on the Hoyas' lead and tying the game up at 29 after a service ace from Dooley. A kill from Ross gave Pitt the lead, 30-29. Another kill from Ross was what the Panthers needed to win game one, 31-29. Ross led the team with five kills, and freshman libero Michelle Rossi (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) had eight digs. Taurence and senior Azadeh Boroumand (Red Deer, Alberta/Thurber) split playing time at setter. Taurence finished game one with seven assists, and Boroumand had four. Pitt hit .143 compared to Georgetown's .096. Both teams had three blocks each.
The teams rallied for the lead early on in game two, but Pitt was able to take control after a kill from Andreyko moved them to 17-16. A block from Taurence and Moses moved the Panthers even further ahead, 20-16. Another kill from Andreyko kept Pitt in control as they pulled away from the Hoyas, 24-19. Ross had the game-winning point again, giving Pitt the win, 30-22. Dooley and Ross had four kills each. Taurence recorded 15 assists, and Moses had four blocks. Pitt hit .364 to Georgetown's .143. The Panthers additionally had six blocks to the Hoyas' two.
The Hoyas started game three with a 4-1 lead, but it wouldn't last as Pitt took control with six points and didn't give up the lead for the remainder of the game. Taurence had two service aces in a row to put Pitt ahead, 16-12. A solid defense gave the Panthers several points late in the game, moving them up, 26-18. The Panthers took game three, 30-23, after a kill from Kern. Ross, Kern and Moses had four kills each. Moses additionally led the team with three blocks. Taurence contributed 12 assists. Pitt hit .156 to the Hoyas' .029.
The Panthers will host USF tomorrow at 2 p.m., before heading on the road for their next three matches.
