Pitt
Ohio
Three Panthers Earn All-Pitt Classic Accolades
9/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 6, 2008
PITTSBURGH—Three Panthers garner All-Pitt Classic honors on the final day of the tournament, where Pitt dropped a 3-1 decision to Ohio in the championship game at Fitzgerald Field House, this afternoon. Pitt won the first set 25-15, but dropped the next three 25-22, 25-11 and 25-20.
Earning all-tournament accolades for the Panthers were senior Kelly Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield/Pacific) and juniors Michelle Rossi (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) and Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West).
The team was led by Campbell with 27 kills in the tournament, while Rossi boasted 50 digs for a 5.0 dig per set average and Dooley tallied 13 blocks and a .415 hitting clip.
In the championship game, Campbell led the squad with 11 kills, while senior Stephanie Ross (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) added 10 kills and seven digs in the contest.
The match began with a 5-0 start from the Panthers. During the run Campbell served two aces and Ross blocked a Bobcat attack.
After a slight comeback from Ohio, Pitt earned a side out on a Bobcat service error. Rossi then gave the Panthers a 13-8 lead with an ace. Later in the rotation, sophomore Amy Town (Orillia, Ontario/Orillia) moved back to the front row and recorded a powerful kill to put Pitt ahead by five again, 17-12.
Six of the Panthers next eight points resulted from Ohio errors, as Pitt took the set 25-15.
The Panthers then took a 10-7 lead in the second set with a three-person block in the middle, as seniors Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton), Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) and Campbell combined on the block.
An 8-5 Ohio run knotted the set at 15, but Pitt would push ahead 17-15 with a Campbell kill from Taurence. However, another run would leave Pitt trailing 21-18 after a Bobcat block. Pitt would then close the gap to 21-20, but couldn’t defend three kills on the following six plays.
Next, the third set started close, as each team was tied at 10-10 before the Bobcats pulled away with a 14-10 lead off an ace. The Bobcats then used an 11-1 run to earn the win in the third set, 25-11.
Early in the fourth set, Dooley put Pitt on the scoreboard with a solo block in the middle. However, Ohio went ahead 8-5 with a kill.
Several plays later Ross challenged a long pass with an immediate block on the attack and won, tying the set at 11. Still playing from behind a couple rallies later, Dooley knotted the contest at 15 with an ace.
The two teams went back and forth until Ross gave the Panthers its last tie, 18-18, with her ninth kill of the match. Unfortunately, a 7-2 Bobcat run would decide the match in favor of Ohio.
Rossi tallied a match-high 24 digs, while Taurence assisted 29 of Pitt’s 38 kills. The Panthers are home again on Tuesday, Sept. 9, against Duquesne at 7 p.m.
All-Pitt Classic Team
MVP-Ellen Herman (Ohio)
Jane Sytsma (Ohio)
Nicole Staverman (Ohio)
Kelly Campbell (Pitt)
Meagan Dooley (Pitt)
Michelle Rossi (Pitt)
Lindsey Mueller (Binghamton)
