University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Villanova
Zitzke Tallies A Double-Double Against Villanova
10/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 2, 2011
VILLANOVA, Pa.— Freshman Lindsey Zitzke recorded a double-double, however, it was not enough as the University of Pittsburgh women’s volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Villanova (25-21, 24-26, 25-14 and 25-21) at Nevin Field House on Sunday.
Zitzke collected 39 assists on 45of Pitt’s kills. She also added 10 digs and is second on the team with 150 passes to-date. Zitzke set senior Kiesha Leggs and sophomore Monica Wignot for 17 and 10 kills, respectively.
Defensively, junior Margy Acton paced the Panthers (12-6, 2-2 Big East) with 24 digs, while freshman Delaney Clesen chipped in 15.
Junior Jasmine Dittrich and Leggs won the first point of the match with a block. Pitt would move ahead, 9-8, on back-to-back aces from Zitzke. Zitzke leads the Panthers with 31 aces on the year.
Villanova (12-5, 4-0 Big East) rattled off an 8-2 run to take the lead. Pitt pulled to, 18-17, off a kill from Wignot.
The Panthers pushed ahead with three points on four serves. The Wildcats called a timeout and scored four unanswered points to force a Pitt huddle.
A kill by Dittrich gave the Panthers a sideout after the break. However, a serving error earned Villanova set point. The Wildcats secured the win in the frame with a block on the next volley. Dittrich was 2-for-4 in the opener.
In the second set, Leggs put down her fourth kill of the match to put Pitt ahead, 3-0. The Panthers would continue to thrive and held a 12-7 edge following a Wildcat error. Villanova called a timeout, but Pitt rolled out a 5-2 run to force another Wildcat conversation.
Villanova cut the Pitt lead to 21-19, after a Panthers error. Pitt called a timeout of its own and held set point, 24-21, with a kill from Leggs.
The Wildcats, however, knotted the game on two kills and a block. Freshman Mechael Guess answered with back-to-back kills to even the contest at one set each. Guess posted six kills in the match.
In the third frame, Zitzke recorded an assist on all of Pitt’s kills. However, the Panthers were limited to a .098 hitting clip. Pitt also committed four reception and three serving errors. Acton tallied six digs in the contest.
The Panthers recorded 11 kills and 15 digs in the fourth set. Leggs was 6-for-7 and posted a .714 hitting percentage. She put down Pitt’s first two points of the final game.
The score see-sawed with the Panthers leading 18-17 thanks to a kill from Leggs. Villanova responded on the next few plays, scoring five unanswered points. Pitt took a timeout to regroup and consecutive kills from Leggs would close the gap to two, 22-20.
Unfortunately, the Wildcats earned a sideout with a Pitt error on the next serve and ended the match on a 3-1 run.
The squads were even in blocks with five apiece. Both Leggs and Zitzke recorded two blocks in the contest.
The Panthers return to Fitzgerald Field House on Saturday, Oct. 8 with a 2 p.m. match against Notre Dame.
