Pitt
UConn
PITT VOLLEYBALL CAPTURES FIRST CONFERENCE WIN AGAINST CONNECTICUT
9/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 24, 2006
PITTSBURGH - Pitt's volleyball team won its first conference match of the season in a four-game set against Connecticut today. The Panthers (12-5, 1-1 Big East), ranked fourth in the conference won, 3-1 over Connecticut (10-4, 1-1 Big East), ranked third in the conference. Pitt out hit the Huskies .282 to .144 and had nine blocks compared to Connecticut's nine.
"We changed the line up a bit. We actually went back to our original line up [with Meagan Dooley as a middle hitter]," said Head Coach Chris Beerman. "After St. John's we decided to get back to basics. We had to have this win after the last loss."
Freshman middle hitter Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) led the team with 23.5 points. She recorded a career-high 20 kills with a .324 hitting percentage. She also had three blocks and a career-high seven assists. Senior setter Azadeh Boroumand (Red Deer, Alberta/Thurber) had a double-double with 51 assists and 14 digs. She additionally recorded six kills and two blocks. Sophomore Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) led the team with seven blocks and also contributed four kills.
Pitt's leading outside hitters each recorded double-doubles against the Huskies. Junior Diana Andreyko (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) had 16 kills and 18 digs. She also had two blocks and two assists. Sophomore Stephanie Ross (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) had 14 kills and 14 digs. Ross also tied her career high with a block solo and contributed three total blocks. Andreyko hit .300 and put up 17 points. Ross hit .191 and had 16 points.
Pitt was the first to score in game one though both teams rallied for the lead. Pitt was able to pull ahead and went on a four-point streak including a block from Moses and Ross, a kill by Andreyko, and ace from Dooley, followed by a putaway from Ross. Their 9-5 lead didn't last as the Huskies fought back to 11-10 after a block and an ace. Pitt didn't give up, tying the score at 16 after another ace from Dooley. With both teams battling for control of the game, it was Pitt that took a 22-20 lead. The Huskies started to close in, but a kill by Ross kept Pitt ahead. An attack from Boroumand put the Panthers in position to win, and an attack error from the Huskies gave Pitt the game one victory, 30-25. Andreyko led the team with five kills. Boroumand had 13 assists, and Moses had two blocks. The Panthers out hit Connecticut .368 to .209.
Connecticut took an early 4-1 lead in game two. The Panthers tied the score several times, and a kill from freshman Kim Kern (Bradenton, Fla./Manatee) pulled Pitt to an 11-10 lead. Connecticut fought back to a 19-14 lead and kept their momentum going, eventually moving to 27-22. A kill by Megan Frey gave the Huskies the game two win, 30-25. Connecticut out hit the Panthers .154 to .065 and led six blocks to three. Dooley led the Panthers with five kills. Boroumand had 12 assists. Kern and Andreyko had two blocks each.
The Huskies started game three in the lead as well, but a kill from Andreyko tied it up at six. An error by Connecticut and an ace from Melissa Ferguson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) gave Pitt a two-point advantage. Boroumand tied the game up and an attack error by the Huskies gave Pitt a 13-10 lead. A block from Moses and Dooley put the Panthers up by five at 17-12. Boroumand kept Pitt going, and a block from Ross and Moses moved the Panthers ahead, 19-12. A block from Moses and Boroumand set the Panthers up for the game point, and an attack error from the Huskies gave Pitt the game three win, 30-20. Dooley led the Panthers with six kills, and Moses had four blocks. Boroumand recorded 11 assists and freshman Michelle Rossi (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) had seven digs. Pitt out hit Connecticut .297 to .060 and had six blocks to one.
In the final game, Connecticut started out in the lead again, this time at 4-2. The Panthers tied it up at four and continued on a nine-point scoring streak to take control, 11-4. The Huskies tried to close in on Pitt's lead, but they couldn't catch up, coming only within four points at 18-14. Pitt went on another scoring drive, this time pulling in six points with four kills plus two errors from Connecticut. A service error from the Huskies put Pitt in position to win, and a kill from Dooley gave the Panthers their third win of the day, 30-23. Dooley led the Panthers in kills again, this time recording six putaways for a .500 hitting percentage. Boroumand had 11 assists, and Moses recorded four blocks. Pitt out hit the Huskies .297 to .060 and out blocked them six to one.
The Panthers will travel for their next two conference match ups. First they'll face Rutgers on Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. They'll then head to Villanova for a match on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m.
