University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Friday, September 16
Pittsburgh, Pa.
7:00 PM
Pitt
7-3
2
vs
3
Western Kentucky
10-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WKU | 15 | 28 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 3 |
| Pitt | 25 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 12 | 2 |
WKU Outlasts Pitt in Five-Set Thriller
9/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 16, 2016
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh volleyball team dropped a five-set thriller to WKU Friday evening at the Fitzgerald Field House in its opening match of the Panther Challenge.
The Panthers [7-3] dominated the opening set 25-15 but dropped the second and third sets to the Hilltoppers [10-2] 28-26, 25-23 to fall behind 2-1. Pitt fought back to tie the match 2-2 after defeating WKU 25-22 in set four, but the Panther couldn't hold on as the Hilltoppers won the deciding set 15-12.
"The story of the match was that it was just two great teams playing great volleyball," said head coach Dan Fisher. "It was just a battle. These ones always tear at you but I'm proud of our team for how we competed."
Despite leading WKU in kills [63/55], assists [60/54], service aces [12/8] and digs [80/71] Pitt was unable to outlast the Hilltoppers.
The Panthers attack was led by junior Mariah Bell, who tied her career high in kills with 20. Redshirt freshman Stephanie Williams added 19 kills to mark her sixth match with double-digit kills. Freshman Layne Van Buskirk finished the match with a .300 hitting percentage, tallying nine kills on 20 attempts with just three errors.
In addition to her 19 kills, Williams also put up 10 digs to record her third double-double of the season. Sophomore setter Kamalani Akeo also earned her third double-double of the season, racking up 50 assists and 11 digs.
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh volleyball team dropped a five-set thriller to WKU Friday evening at the Fitzgerald Field House in its opening match of the Panther Challenge.
The Panthers [7-3] dominated the opening set 25-15 but dropped the second and third sets to the Hilltoppers [10-2] 28-26, 25-23 to fall behind 2-1. Pitt fought back to tie the match 2-2 after defeating WKU 25-22 in set four, but the Panther couldn't hold on as the Hilltoppers won the deciding set 15-12.
"The story of the match was that it was just two great teams playing great volleyball," said head coach Dan Fisher. "It was just a battle. These ones always tear at you but I'm proud of our team for how we competed."
Despite leading WKU in kills [63/55], assists [60/54], service aces [12/8] and digs [80/71] Pitt was unable to outlast the Hilltoppers.
The Panthers attack was led by junior Mariah Bell, who tied her career high in kills with 20. Redshirt freshman Stephanie Williams added 19 kills to mark her sixth match with double-digit kills. Freshman Layne Van Buskirk finished the match with a .300 hitting percentage, tallying nine kills on 20 attempts with just three errors.
In addition to her 19 kills, Williams also put up 10 digs to record her third double-double of the season. Sophomore setter Kamalani Akeo also earned her third double-double of the season, racking up 50 assists and 11 digs.
In a season-high showing of service aces for Pitt, redshirt sophomore Angela Seman tallied a career-high six marking half of the Panthers total (12). Seman's performance marked the second highest total of aces in a single match in program history. She also led the team in digs with 30.
At the net, redshirt senior Jenna Potts led Pitt with seven blocks.
Set One: Pitt 25, WKU 15
Pitt and WKU opened the first set in a back and forth battle, tying six different times and becoming knotted at 6-6.
The Panthers took the first substantial lead of the match pulling ahead 9-6, forcing a Hilltoppers timeout.
A WKU kill and block led the Hilltoppers to trail by a single point, 12-11, but Pitt put together a string of five straight to extend its lead to 17-12. Upon the fifth point, WKU called its second timeout.
Out of the break, the Hilltoppers scored back to back points, though Pitt answered with two of their own and went on to outscore WKU 8-2 to win the match 25-15.
Set Two: Pitt 26, WKU 28
Pitt got out to a strong start in the second set scoring five straight points, including Williams and Van Buskirk kills along with a Seman ace, to take an early 7-3 lead.
The struggling Hilltoppers called their first timeout of the set but was only able to pull within two before the Panthers earned a six point, 15-9 lead.
WKU fought back from a six point deficit and outscored Pitt 9-3 over the next 12 points to come back and tie the game 18-18.
The Hilltoppers continued to put up points and took the lead late in the set, 21-20.
WKU earned the first set point, 24-22, but kills by Bell and Williams and an attack error by the Hilltoppers put the Panthers back out in front 25-24.
Pitt and WKU exchanged back and forth points before the Hilltoppers scored three straight to win the set 28-26 and tie the match 1-1.
Set Three: Pitt 25, WKU 23
WKU continued its momentum in the third set, forcing the Panthers to take an early timeout after getting out to a 7-3 lead.
Pitt was unable to swing the energy on the court, trailing through the midway point of the match and into the later points. The Panthers called a timeout with the score reading 20-15.
Pitt finally got into a rhythm following its second break, scoring six straight points to take a 21-20 lead however the Panters couldn't hold on as the Hilltoppers went on to outscore Pitt 5-2 to end the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set Four: Pitt 25, WKU 22
After coming out trailing 8-6 in the fourth set, the Panthers fought back to lead 12-9 with six consecutive points.
WKU called a timeout in an attempt to regroup and slow down Pitt but the Panthers continued to add to their total with two kills each from Bell and Williams along with an ace from freshman Nika Markovic. The Panthers led 17-12.
The Hilltoppers fought back to trail by a single point 18-17, but three straight service aces by Pitt's Seman put a gap between the two teams, 22-17.
WKU's comeback attempt fell short as the Hilltoppers pulled within one yet again, but couldn't deny the Panthers in the final two points.
Set Five: Pitt 15, WKU 12
WKU opened the fifth set with a 4-2 lead before a four-point run by Pitt would move them out in front 6-4.
The Panthers would give up five of the next six points to the Hilltoppers to fall behind 9-7. Pitt called for a timeout.
Out of the break, Bell racked up back to back kills to bring the score to 10 all.
The Panthers would take an 11-10 lead on an attack error by WKU but the Hilltoppers would score four straight to earn set point 14-11.
Pitt battled through one set point but a final kill by WKU would end the match.
Up Next
Pitt will conclude the Panther Challenge tomorrow as the team takes on Lehigh at 10 a.m. and Robert Morris at 7 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
At the net, redshirt senior Jenna Potts led Pitt with seven blocks.
Set One: Pitt 25, WKU 15
Pitt and WKU opened the first set in a back and forth battle, tying six different times and becoming knotted at 6-6.
The Panthers took the first substantial lead of the match pulling ahead 9-6, forcing a Hilltoppers timeout.
A WKU kill and block led the Hilltoppers to trail by a single point, 12-11, but Pitt put together a string of five straight to extend its lead to 17-12. Upon the fifth point, WKU called its second timeout.
Out of the break, the Hilltoppers scored back to back points, though Pitt answered with two of their own and went on to outscore WKU 8-2 to win the match 25-15.
Set Two: Pitt 26, WKU 28
Pitt got out to a strong start in the second set scoring five straight points, including Williams and Van Buskirk kills along with a Seman ace, to take an early 7-3 lead.
The struggling Hilltoppers called their first timeout of the set but was only able to pull within two before the Panthers earned a six point, 15-9 lead.
WKU fought back from a six point deficit and outscored Pitt 9-3 over the next 12 points to come back and tie the game 18-18.
The Hilltoppers continued to put up points and took the lead late in the set, 21-20.
WKU earned the first set point, 24-22, but kills by Bell and Williams and an attack error by the Hilltoppers put the Panthers back out in front 25-24.
Pitt and WKU exchanged back and forth points before the Hilltoppers scored three straight to win the set 28-26 and tie the match 1-1.
Set Three: Pitt 25, WKU 23
WKU continued its momentum in the third set, forcing the Panthers to take an early timeout after getting out to a 7-3 lead.
Pitt was unable to swing the energy on the court, trailing through the midway point of the match and into the later points. The Panthers called a timeout with the score reading 20-15.
Pitt finally got into a rhythm following its second break, scoring six straight points to take a 21-20 lead however the Panters couldn't hold on as the Hilltoppers went on to outscore Pitt 5-2 to end the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set Four: Pitt 25, WKU 22
After coming out trailing 8-6 in the fourth set, the Panthers fought back to lead 12-9 with six consecutive points.
WKU called a timeout in an attempt to regroup and slow down Pitt but the Panthers continued to add to their total with two kills each from Bell and Williams along with an ace from freshman Nika Markovic. The Panthers led 17-12.
The Hilltoppers fought back to trail by a single point 18-17, but three straight service aces by Pitt's Seman put a gap between the two teams, 22-17.
WKU's comeback attempt fell short as the Hilltoppers pulled within one yet again, but couldn't deny the Panthers in the final two points.
Set Five: Pitt 15, WKU 12
WKU opened the fifth set with a 4-2 lead before a four-point run by Pitt would move them out in front 6-4.
The Panthers would give up five of the next six points to the Hilltoppers to fall behind 9-7. Pitt called for a timeout.
Out of the break, Bell racked up back to back kills to bring the score to 10 all.
The Panthers would take an 11-10 lead on an attack error by WKU but the Hilltoppers would score four straight to earn set point 14-11.
Pitt battled through one set point but a final kill by WKU would end the match.
Up Next
Pitt will conclude the Panther Challenge tomorrow as the team takes on Lehigh at 10 a.m. and Robert Morris at 7 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Players Mentioned
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/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
RS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballTeam Stats
WKU
UP
Kills
55
63
Errors
22
29
Attempts
165
172
Hitting %
.200
.198
Points
78.0
87.0
Assists
54
60
Aces
8
12
Blocks
15.0
12.0
Game Leaders
Kills
20
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
19
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
7
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