Pitt Closes Out Regular Season at Virginia Tech, Virginia

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (23-6, 16-2 ACC) closes out the regular season this weekend as the Panthers head to Virginia Tech (10-20, 5-15 ACC) and Virginia (7-23, 3-16 ACC).

THE SCHEDULE

Pitt will face Virginia Tech Friday, Nov. 24 in Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va. First serve is set for 4 p.m.
The Panthers will conclude the regular season Saturday, Nov. 25 at 4 p.m. against Virginia in Memorial Gymnasium.

THE SERIES

Pitt and Virginia Tech will square off for the 15^th time in program history. The Panthers hold an 8-6 advantage all-time, with Pitt sweeping the Hokies in their most recent matchup earlier this season.
Pitt will also face Virginia for the 15^th time, but hold an 11-3 advantage over the Cavaliers. The Panthers also swept UVA in their most recent matchup this past September.

SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH

Virginia Tech enters the weekend with a 10-20 overall record and a 5-15 mark in conference play.
Prior to winning their most recent matchup Wednesday against Virginia, the Hokies were on a four-match losing streak falling to Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida State and Miami.
Virginia will look to Jaila Tolbert to challenge Pitt, as she leads her team in kills (207) and hitting percentage (.331).

SCOUTING VIRGINIA

Virginia will face Pitt with a 7-23 overall mark and a 3-16 record in ACC play.
In their most recent match-up on Wednesday, the Cavaliers fell to Virginia Tech in four sets. UVA has lost its last five games with the team's last win coming against Georgia Tech on Nov. 4.
Jelena Novakovic, who leads Virginia in kills (278) and kills per set (2.87) will lead the Cavaliers' attack.

SIBLING RIVALRY

Pitt's Emily Horner will face her younger sibling, Jane Horner, Saturday at Virginia. Jane is a sophomore libero for the Cavaliers, while Emily is a middle blocker.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt went 2-0 last weekend with wins over Clemson and Georgia Tech, giving the Panthers seven straight wins.
Pitt opened the weekend with a sweep of the Tigers. The Panthers' offense was outstanding in the match, tallying 41 kills and hitting at a .312 clip. Three Pitt players finished with double-digit kills, with redshirt sophomore Stephanie Williams leading the way with 12. She was following by sophomore Nika Markovic who tallied 11, while freshman Kayla Lund put away 10.
The Panthers continued their winning ways with another straight-set victory over the Yellow Jackets Sunday. The Panthers were solid both offensively and defensively, out-killing Georgia Tech by 20 kills, 52-32, and out-digging the Yellow Jackets 47-37. Pitt's back row defense was led by redshirt junior Angela Seman with 15 digs. Redshirt sophomore Stephanie Williams was outstanding for the Panthers as she posted 16 kills on 30 attempts with just two errors. This marks her 22nd game of tallying double-digit kills. Williams also posted four aces and five digs.

LOOKING AHEAD

Pitt will await its postseason fate during the 2017 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show, which takes place Sunday, Nov. 26 at 9 p.m., live on ESPNU.

FIRST PLACE PANTHERS

Pitt currently sits tied with Louisville atop of the ACC standings with a 16-2 record in conference play.

LUND EARNS FOURTH ACC WEEKLY AWARD

Freshman Kayla Lund was named ACC Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season after having a standout showing for the Panthers who swept both Clemson and Georgia Tech last weekend.
Pitt's two freshmen in Lund and Chinaza Ndee have combined to earn the freshman-designated award six times this season, the most of any ACC team.
Lund had a solid weekend for the Panthers, tallying 19 kills on the weekend, posting 3.17 kills per set, while digging up 10 balls (1.67/set) and recording three blocks.

20-WIN SEASONS

For the fourth-consecutive year, Pitt has tallied 20 or more wins, marking the 29^th time in program history the Panthers have reached that feat.

LEADING LADIES

The Panthers currently lead the conference in assists per set (13.37), hitting percentage (.273) and match kills per set (14.36).
Pitt also ranks second in match win-loss percentage (.793), while sitting third in aces/set (1.46), team service aces (150), team kills (1,479) and team assists (1,377).

THE KEY TO PITT'S TOP-RANKED OFFENSE

Pitt's success on offense in 2017 is in large part due to junior setter Kamalani Akeo.
The Kapolei, Hawaii, native is the key to the Panthers top-ranked attack, which currently ranks first in the conference in hitting percentage (19^th in the nation) and kills per set (13^th in the nation).
Akeo has tallied 1,090 assists, good for 10.58 per set, to help lead the Panthers' offense remain at a consistently high level. Her per set average and total amount of assists remains at fourth in the ACC.

WILLIAMS IN DOUBLE-DIGITS

Redshirt sophomore Stephanie Williams has hit in double-digits 22 times this season, including six where she has also recorded a double-double.
From Sept 9, 2017 to Oct 15, 2017, Williams posted 12-straight matches in which she recorded 10 or more kills.
On the season, Williams has tallied 328 kills, good for 3.25 per set, while hitting at a .306 clip.

MAKING HER MARK

One of three international products on the roster, sophomore Nika Markovic has had a major impact on the Panthers' success since her arrival in 2016.
So far this season, the right side hitter has dominated both sides of the ball for Pitt. She has tallied 363 kills, 3.86 per set, to lead the team and rank fourth in the ACC. Markovic boasts 194 digs, 33 aces and 85 blocks.
The Slovenian has recorded four double-doubles this season and has hit in double-digits 22 times this season.
Last season, the Braslovce, Slovenia native was sidelined in early October due to foot surgery for three games. She was also limited in three more contests before being given the full go on Oct. 28 against NC State.
The team fell into a lull in her absence, producing a 2-4 record. After her return, Pitt picked up its play, rattling off four straight wins, including an upset at home against No. 8 North Carolina.
In the upset over the Tar Heels, Markovic had a career-high 19 kills, which led the Panthers. She also produced 10 kills in the win over NC State that same weekend, and tallied 19 digs over the two games. She was honored as the ACC Freshman of the Week for her efforts.
Markovic ended her freshman campaign with 233 kills and a .266 hitting percentage. She also racked up 39 aces, second best on the team.

PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF

In 2016 as a freshman, Layne Van Buskirk was one of the most efficient attackers for Pitt and the now-sophomore is picking up right where she left off.
The Windsor, Ontario native is hitting .315 for the Panthers, ranking 10^th in the ACC.
Last season as a newcomer, she tallied a .345 hitting percentage, which ranked second for the Panthers. As the lone freshman in the top 10 of the category, Van Buskirk's clip ranked sixth in the ACC.


HITTING 100

Head coach Dan Fisher earned his 100th win at Pitt with a 3-1 victory over Syracuse at home Sept. 22.
Fisher, who is in his fifth season with the Panthers, owns a 115-44 (.723) record with the University, while boasting 190 career wins as a head coach.

MILESTONE/RECORD BOOK WATCH

Junior setter Kamalani Akeo currently sits seventh in career assists with 3,028. She will look to climb further throughout the season, as she is 88 assists away from sixth place (3,116).
Senior Mariah Bell will look to break into the top 10 in career kills and aces in 2017. Bell is 134 kills away from moving into the top 10 (1,071) in the category and just 63 away from hitting 1,000 mark. She also needs just two aces to enter the record book (110).
With her 33 digs at the Dayton Invitational, Angela Seman broke into the career digs category of the record book. The redshirt junior now boasts 1,388 digs, good for seventh-best in program history. She is now just 26 away from moving into sixth (1,414).

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Pitt Closes Out Regular Season at Virginia Tech, Virginia

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kamalani Akeo

Mariah Bell

Emily Horner

Kayla Lund

Nika Markovic

Chinaza Ndee

Angela Seman

Layne Van Buskirk

Stephanie Williams

Pitt Closes Out Regular Season at Virginia Tech, Virginia

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kamalani Akeo

Mariah Bell

Emily Horner

Kayla Lund

Nika Markovic

Chinaza Ndee

Angela Seman

Layne Van Buskirk

Stephanie Williams

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