Pitt
New Mexico
Women's Volleyball Out-Blocks New Mexico, 13-9
9/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 12, 2009
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Despite out-blocking its opponent, 13-9, the University of Pittsburgh women’s volleyball team dropped its final match of the Comcast Challenge, 3-1, to New Mexico with scores of 19-25, 25-22, 11-25, 24-26. The Panthers fell to 5-6 on the season, while the Lobos improved to 7-1.
Senior Meagan Dooley tied a match high with 16 kills, going 16-for-28, while recording seven blocks in the match.
Junior Amy Town recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 13 digs, while senior Melissa Stadelman finished with 10 kills. Additionally, sophomore Allyson Hodnik recorded 47 assists on the 55 Pitt kills.
“Although we didn’t win, we played at a high level of competition,” head coach Toby Rens said. “Our opponents also brought great things out of us.
“Our seniors provided great and valuable leadership to the team.”
After dropping the first set, the Panthers recorded back-to-back blocks to lift them to an 11-8 lead in the second game of the match. Pitt then pushed ahead 13-8 with a solo block from Dooley and a block assist from sophomore Rachel Kalberer and Dooley. Kalberer earned the start at outside hitter.
Stadelman, then, pushed Pitt ahead 19-14 with a hard hit off a Hodnik back set. The Panthers continued to be strong on the block as Hodnik and junior Imani Harper combined on the ninth Pitt block of the match, giving the squad a 20-14 lead.
The Panthers scored on four of the next eight serves until the Lobos held Pitt on set point for another four serves. Finally, Dooley finished the set and gave the Panthers a 25-22 victory with a kill over the middle.
Dooley had five kills, hit at .571 and recorded four blocks in the set. Additionally, Hodnik spread the wealth around in the first two games, as Town, Dooley and Stadelman each had seven kills. Pitt was also out-blocking the Lobos 9-3 in those two games.
In the fourth set, Pitt jumped out with a 4-0 lead after Hodnik recorded an ace and New Mexico committed an attack error. The Panthers and Lobos then went back and forth in scoring, until Stadelman recorded an ace and gave Pitt a 17-14 lead.
New Mexico went on a 6-4 run and cut into Pitt’s lead, 21-20, forcing the Panthers to take a timeout. Town answered with a hit down the line and two point lead, 22-20. The Lobos, then, battled back and tied the set at 22. Volleying between points, the score was once again tied at 24, before New Mexico would push ahead for the win on the next two serves.
The match began as Hodnik set Harper and recorded a kill that caused a side out for the Panthers and started a 6-2 run to pull Pitt within four, 14-10. Later, a controversial out-of-bounds call was made and Stadelman drilled the next ball between two defenders. Harper followed by attacking a long pass to close the gap to 16-13.
Harper would then record back-to-back plays at the middle of the net for Pitt, to trail by just one 18-17. Unfortunately, the Lobos would score on seven of the next nine serves.
Pitt was held to just .031 hitting in the third set and were out-blocked 4-0.
The Panthers return to campus next week, hosting their Blue-Gold Tournament at Fitzgerald Field House on Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20. Pitt faces Valparaiso, Maryland Eastern Shore and Youngstown State during the invitational.
