Pitt
Youngstown State
Rossi Named MVP of Pitt Blue Gold Tournament
9/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2009
PITTSBURGH—Senior Michelle Rossi was named the Pitt Blue Gold Tournament MVP, as the University of Pittsburgh women’s volleyball team was a perfect 3-0 this weekend, winning their finals match 3-2 over Youngstown State. The Panthers won with scores of 25-18, 25-27, 20-25, 25-21 and 15-8 improving to 8-6 on the year, while the Penguins slipped to 2-10 on the year.
Rossi recorded 31 digs in the match, tying her season best. In the tournament, she averaged 4.92 digs per set, tallied four assists and three aces.
Rossi was joined on the all-tournament team by seniors Melissa Stadelman and Meagan Dooley and junior Amy Town. In tonight’s match, Dooley recorded a season high 22 kills, while Town posted a double-double with 19 kill and 14 digs. Stadelman chipped in 13 kills, nine digs and two blocks.
Freshmen Lauren Hartman and Jenn Katona recorded career-highs with 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Additionally, sophomore Allyson Hodnik collected a double-double with a career-high 66 assists and 16 digs.
Katona got things started in the first set with her second kill of the match to give the Panthers a 14-11 lead in the game after trailing early on. Later in the set, Hartman gave the Panthers a sideout and a 23-18 advantage. Pitt would then win the set on a long Penguin attack.
Town recorded a game-high six kills in the opening set, while Katona went 3-for-5 and posted a .600 hitting clip. As a team, the Panthers held Youngstown State to just .051 hitting in that game.
Later, Pitt went on a 5-1 run in the fourth set, following a timeout out and led 11-8 in the game. Katona, Hartman and Town recorded consecutive kills in the rally. A block assist from Katona and Stadelman would give the Panthers a 23-15 lead. Katona then recorded another kill to cause a Panther sideout and a 24-16 advantage. The Penguins held Pitt at 24 through four points, but Hodnik’s assist to Town would end the set at 25-21 and tie the match at 2-2.
Dooley would then open the fifth set with a kill. The Panthers would jump out to an 8-4 advantage when Hodnik recorded a dump. The team switched sides and Town recorded a back row kill to lift Pitt to an 11-6 lead in the final set. A few plays later, Hartman set up match point with a kill from Hodnik. A Penguin service error would end the match.
Earlier, the second set seemed to start better than the first for Pitt, as the Panthers jumped out to an 11-7 lead when Hartman hit a shot deep to left back on the court. However, a 7-3 Youngstown State rally would tie the set at 14. A few serves later, the Penguins led 18-16 before Town recorded her seventh kill of the match. Hartman would then force a YSU timeout with a another deep hit, giving Pitt a 20-19 lead.
Sophomore Tara Rohall would served two points for Pitt and pushed the Panthers to 24-19. However, the Penguins held Pitt at set point for five possessions before tying it at 24 on a Pitt attack error. Youngstown State, then won three of the next four points to tie the match at one set a piece.
The Panthers never let the third game get too far out of reach, but they did trail through most of the set. Dooley led the team with five kills in the contest, but Pitt was out-blocked 3-0 despite hitting at .333.
Pitt will stay on campus this week, hosting its Big East opener against Marquette at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.
