University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
UNC Greensboro
Wignot Records 15 Kills In Victory
9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 10, 2011
ORLANDO, Fla.—Sophomore Monica Wignot posted a match-high 15 kills as the University of Pittsburgh women’s volleyball team earned a 3-0 victory over UNCG at the Residence Inn/UCF Invitational held at The Venue at UCF.
Today’s match marks the sixth straight-set win (25-21, 25-20 and 25-18) for Pitt, who improved to 8-2 on the season. The Panthers held the Spartans (4-6) to a .125 hitting clip. On the year, Pitt is limiting opponents to a .129 attack percentage.
Top performers in the match were Wignot, senior Kiesha Leggs and junior Margy Acton. In addition to the 15 kills, Wignot tallied five digs and three aces. Leggs added 13 kills on a .526 hitting percentage with five blocks, while Acton finished with a match-high 19 digs, three assists and an ace for the Panthers.
Pitt out-blocked UNCG, 6-1, in the contest and hold a 74-42 edge over its opponents on the year.
A combined block from Leggs and junior Jasmine Dittrich gave the Panthers an 8-3 advantage in the first set. That block was one of four points Leggs scored during that rally as freshman Lindsey Zitzke set her for three kills prior to that play.
UNCG, however, would string together a 7-2 run and tie the game at 10.
The set remained knotted until a Spartan serving error gave Pitt a slight lead at 15-14. The Panthers would extend their margin with kills from Leggs and Wignot.
A set from Zitzke gave Wignot one of her five kills in the set to push Pitt to point 20 of the frame. Holding a 22-19 advantage, back-to-back UNCG errors gave the Panthers set point.
UNCG won the next two serves, but freshman Jessica Wynn knocked down her second kill of the match to secure the victory and give Pitt a 1-0 edge in the match.
Wynn recorded her third kill of the contest in the second set, putting Pitt ahead by eight (13-6). UNCG rallied and pulled to 17-15 thanks to seven Panther errors and a few kills.
Pitt called a timeout, but the Spartans tied the set at 17 two volleys later. A UNCG serving error gave the Panthers the lead back on the next possession. Dittrich posted one of her game-high six kills to extend Pitt’s advantage to 19-17.
As play continued, the Panthers held a 24-18 edge after Zitzke set Wignot and Dittrich for two kills apiece. Pitt lost the next serve, but sophomore Brenea White pounded the court with her third kill of the match to give the Panthers the second set.
Zitzke collected 15 assists on 18 kills in the second game. In the final stanza, she chipped in 10 assists and two kills. Zitzke’s first kill followed a 10-10 tie to put the Panthers ahead in the contest. She later attacked a pass from freshman Delaney Clesen to force a Spartan timeout at 18-12. Clesen chipped in 12 digs in the match.
Pitt committed three errors over the next eight volleys, allowing UNGC to pull within four (21-17). After the break, Zitzke set freshman Mechael Guess and White for back-to-back kills.
On the next serve, Zitzke tallied her 19th ace of the season for match point. The Spartans earned the next point with a kill, but White answered by sealing the match with her fifth kill of the day.
Zitzke was one of three Panthers to record an ace in the match. Wignot registered three and now has 17 on the year, while Acton chipped in another ace.
UNCG (4-6) was led by Ariel Newman with 12 kills.
Pitt will host its Blue and Gold Tournament at Fitzgerald Field House Sept. 16-17.
