University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
(11-1)
Delaware
(7-8)
Pitt Volleyball Named Pitt Panther Invitational Champs After Weekend Sweep
9/20/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH - In its sixth straight home win of the season, the Pitt volleyball team (11-1, 0-0 ACC) downed Delaware (7-8, 0-0 CAA) in three sets to record a weekend sweep at the Pitt Panther Invitational on Saturday. The Panthers are 11-1 on the season as they enter regular season play this coming Thursday.
Pitt secured the tournament MVP in Delaney Clesen and three All-Tournament selections in Kate Yeazel, Lindsey Zitzke and Amanda Orchard. Clesen recorded 51 digs on the weekend and added 13 assists while Yeazel recorded a season high 12 kills against Delaware and 28 total on the weekend. Zitzke aided on offense and defense as she tallied 72 total assists, two service aces and 22 digs. Zitzke is just two aces away from becoming the all-time career ace holder at Pitt. Orchard posted a leading .475 hitting percentage after knocking down 23 of her 40 kills in the three games.
Pitt got off to a solid start recording four straight points to begin the game which included kills from Maria Genitsaridi and Jessica Wynn. The other two points came from Delaware attack errors. The Panthers continued to hold a strong lead midway through the game, scoring five straight points to lead 18-10 and force the Blue Hens to take a timeout. Delaware then turned the tables on Pitt, making a five point run to bring the score to 18-15 and force the Panthers to take a timeout. Pitt returned from the timeout giving up a service ace but did not back down. The panthers finished off the Blue Hens with two straight points - a Wynn service ace and a kill by Orchard.
The second set brought another close beginning match-up between the Panthers and Blue Hens before the Panthers went on to win the set 25-18. In the first 10 points for the Panthers, eight of those came from kills. The two opponents were tied at six early on and continued to stay close to each other with a score of 11-10. The closest Delaware came to tying Pitt the rest of the match was when it brought the game within two points later in the match. Kills by Orchard, Guess and Wynn combined for three of the final four points of the set.
After trailing for most of the third set, the Panthers came from behind to win by a score of 25-20 and sweep the Blue Hens, 3-0. Delaware led for most of the set only giving up the lead to Pitt twice early on, but only by one point both times (8-7, 9-8). Pitt fought back by recording six kills, three from Yeazel, two from Jenna Potts and one from Orchard, however it wasn't until the score was tied up at 19 that Pitt was able to gain a 20-19 lead on an attack error by the Blue Hens. From that point on the Panthers retained its lead and concluded the match with a second-to-last Yeazel kill and final Clesen ace.
Pitt will return to action Thursday, Sept. 25 when they take on LIU Brooklyn at 7 p.m. at the Fitzgerald Field House. This will be the seventh straight home game of the Panthers ten game home stretch.
Stay up to date with everything Pitt Volleyball by following the team on Twitter at @PittVolleyball.
| PITT PANTHER INVITATIONAL- FINAL RESULTS | ||||
| Date | Home | Away | Time | Live Stats Link |
| Friday - Sept. 19, 2014 | Sacred Heart | Delaware | 4:30 PM | Sacred Heart (W, 3-0) |
| Friday - Sept 19, 2014 | Pitt | USF | 7:00 PM | Pitt (W, 3-1) |
| Saturday - Sept. 20, 2014 | USF | Delaware | 10:00 AM | USF (W, 3-2) |
| Saturday - Sept. 20, 2014 | Pitt | Sacred Heart | 12:30 PM | Pitt (W, 3-0) |
| Saturday - Sept. 20, 2014 | USF | Sacred Heart | 4:30 PM | USF (W, 3-0) |
| Saturday - Sept. 20, 2014 | Pitt | Delaware | 7:00 PM | Pitt (W, 3-0) |
