Pitt
Binghamton
Women's Volleyball Blanks Binghamton, 3-0
9/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 5, 2008
PITTSBURGH--Pitt's women's volleyball team earns its second shutout in consecutive matches, as it defeats Binghamton 3-0 in the evening match of the Pitt Classic, at Fitzgerald Field House. Pitt won the match with scores of 25-16, 25-23 and 25-21, improving to 3-2 on the year.
The Panthers were led by junior Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) with nine kills and six blocks. Senior Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) added seven blocks, including six block assists, while senior Kelly Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield/Pacific) added five block assists.
The match started close as both teams were tied at 8-8 in the first set. However, Dooley gave the Panthers the lead and started an 8-2 run on the very next ball. A few plays later, Campbell lifted the Panthers to 20-14 with a kill from the left side of the net.
Pitt would then hold the Bearcats (1-4) to just two points in the final six points, as senior Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton) secured the win of the opening set with a dump to give Pitt a 25-16 victory and a 1-0 lead in the match. Campbell led the Panthers with four kills and three digs in the set.
After trailing early in the second set, Moses tied the contest at 13-13 with a stuff block in the middle. The Panthers and Binghamton then battled through a few more ties, before Pitt went up 21-19 off a kill from sophomore Amy Town (Orillia, Ont./Orillia).
Later, a Bearcat service error gave the Panthers a side out after the score was knotted at 22. Leading 24-23 on the next play, Pitt won the set off a kill from Town that began with a huge dig from junior Michelle Rossi (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan).
Rossi posted five digs in that set.
Next, Dooley's monster block in the middle tied the third set at 8-8, after the Panthers briefly trailed 8-6 earlier.
A few plays later, Pitt took the lead when the Bearcats misplaced a set for the middle hitter. The Panthers would then go on a 4-0 run, including two monster blocks.
Leading by just one at 17-16, Campbell earned a kill thanks to a back set from Taurence. A dump from Taurence a few plays later gave Pitt a 23-21 advantage. On the play prior Dooley earned one of her four kills in the set with an attack on a long pass.
Dooley and Campbell would then combine on the block to earn the match-winning point at 25-21.
Taurence tallied a match-high 29 assists, while Rossi led all with 14 digs. The final day of the Pitt Classic includes a consolation match at 11 a.m. between Binghamton and Eastern Kentucky. Pitt then closes out play against Ohio in the championship match at 1:30 p.m.
