University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
3-1
Youngstown State
2-3
Volleyball Sweeps Youngstown State in Home Opener
9/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML) | Season Stats
PITTSBURGH - In a crowded Fitzgerald Field House, the University of Pittsburgh volleyball team swept Youngstown State in its home opener and first game of the Duquesne/Pitt Invitational ri
The Panthers (3-1) defeated the Penguins (2-3) by set scores of 26-24, 25-14 and 25-13.
An overall solid offensive showing by the squad, Kadi Kullerkann led Pitt for the fourth straight game racking up 10 kills. The graduate transfer is on a four-game streak tallying double-digit kills.
Adding to the attack total was senior Amanda Orchard, who hit .467 after putting away nine kills on 15 attempts. Freshman Stephanie Williams and sophomore Mariah Bell also added nine kills apiece.
The Panthers out-hit YSU .288 to .074.
Redshirt freshman Angela Seman performed well in her fourth start of the year, racking up a season high 27 digs, matching Youngstown State's grand total.
Set One
Though getting out to an early lead in set one, Pitt allowed Youngstown State to tie the game at 24, but was able to hold off the Penguins to win set one in extra points, 26-24.
The Panthers worked their way out to an 11-5 lead to begin the match, but just points later Youngstown State was back within three as the score sat at 13-10.
Pitt gained a bit of separation towards the middle of the set thanks to a service error by the Penguins and an Orchard kill, giving the Panthers a five point lead.
YSU scored four points to trail, 17-19, forcing Pitt to take a timeout.
After three kills by the Panthers, including two by Williams, Pitt gained a three point lead prompting a Youngstown State timeout.
Out of the break, the Penguins scored four points to the Panthers one, to tie the game at 24 all. To slow YSU, head coach Dan Fisher called another timeout, which worked as the Penguins committed a service error before Mariah Bell finished off set number one with a kill.
Set Two
With momentum transferring over from the first set, Pitt and YSU were separated by just a point at the beginning of the second.
However, Pitt racked up nine consecutive points to gain a 14-4 lead over the Penguins. Seven of the Panthers nine points were tallied by kill, with William and Bell each notching three. Kullerkann added the seventh.
Later in the set, junior Maria Genitsaridi served seven uninterrupted balls for Pitt, six of which were marked Panthers points. Redshirt junior Jenna Potts, Kullerkann and Williams each added a point, while three straight YSU attack errors gave Pitt a hefty, 24-14 lead.
A Penguins service error ended the set and gave the Panthers a 25-14 win and a 2-0 overall lead.
Set Three
Stellar offence led Pitt to a 25-13 third set win, as the Panthers out-killed Youngstown State, 19-9. Pitt hit .444 in the final set to win the match.
The Panthers didn't let the Penguins stick around in the third set, jumping out to an 11-6 lead. Trailing by five, YSU chose to take a timeout to try and stifle Pitt's momentum, but the Panthers scored six points out of the break. Pitt then led, 17-9.
Freshman Adeline Ellis made her debut as a Pitt Panther in the third set, recording three kills, including two consecutive to cap off the match.
Up Next
Pitt will continue play in the Duquesne/Pitt Invitational tomorrow, beginning with a Noon home match at the Fitzgerald Field House against Colgate. They will conclude the tournament at Duquesne's A.J. Palumbo Center, taking on the Dukes in a 7 p.m. match-up.
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