University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Friday, September 7
Pittsburgh, Pa.
10:30 AM EST
Pitt
7-0
3
vs
2
Kennesaw State
6-1
1
2
3
4
5
F
Kennesaw State
25
24
16
25
7
2
Pitt
23
26
25
20
15
3
Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics
No. 13 Pitt Outlasts Kennesaw State in Five Set Thriller
9/7/2018 2:11:00 PM | Volleyball
Panthers Hand Owls First Loss of Season
PITTSBURGH – The No. 13 University of Pittsburgh volleyball team outlasted Kennesaw State in a five-set thriller Friday morning in the opening match of the Panther Invitational at the Fitzgerald Field House.
With the victory, Pitt remains undefeated with a 7-0 record, while Kennesaw State dropped its first match of the season to move to 6-1.
The Panthers struggled out of the gate, dropping the opening set 25-23 in a hard fought battle. The second was also tight, but Pitt came from behind in the final points with a 5-0 run to win 26-24. The Panthers extended their lead to 2-1 in the match with a 25-16 victory in the third, but the Owls evened the score after picking up the fourth set, 25-20. Pitt closed out the match with a 15-7 win in the fifth.
Four Panthers finished the match with 10 or more kills including sophomores Kayla Lund (14) and Chinaza Ndee (13), as well as juniors Layne Van Buskirk (13) and Nika Markovic (10). Lund continues her streak of earning double-digit kills in every match of the season and also picked up her sixth double-double, tallying 11 digs.
Aiding the offense were setters Kamalani Akeo and Kylee Levers, who tallied 26 and 22 assists respectively.
On defense, redshirt senior Angela Seman led the back row with 17 digs, while Van Buskirk posted a season-high eight blocks. Markovic and redshirt junior Stephanie Williams added seven apiece.
Pitt won the defensive matchup, out-blocking Kennesaw State, 18.5 to 10. The Panthers also recorded 29 digs to the Owls' 46.
Set One: Kennesaw State 25, No 13. Pitt 23
Despite leading for the majority of the set, Pitt fell in the opening frame. The Panthers were unable to stop the Owls, who went on a 12-6 run to end the set.
Pitt took control after tying the score 6-6, earning a lead by as many as six points. However, the Owls fought back after trailing 20-18 to tie it up at 23 all. The Panthers were unable to regain the lead again as Pitt dropped the final two points.
Set Two: No 13. Pitt 26, Kennesaw State 24
The Panthers were able to outlast the Owls, 26-24, for a second set victory that tied up the match. Pitt trailed Kennesaw State for the majority of the frame despite leading early. However, the Panthers were battled back to tie the set 15-15 thanks to a kill by Williams. The two teams exchanged back-and-forth points until the Owls used a 5-1 run to pull ahead 24-21. Facing set point, Pitt went scored five straight to complete the comeback and earn the set win. The five points consisted of three clutch blocks by the Panthers, as well as a kill by Ndee and a KSU error.
Set Three: No 13. Pitt 25, Kennesaw State 16
The Panthers dominated the third set, holding the Owls under 20 points for the first time in the match. Pitt found its groove from the start, jumping out to a 6-1 lead courtesy of three straight blocks by the Panthers.
Pitt continued to drive up the score, leading by 10 late in the set 23-13, as Williams served up an ace and Van Buskirk put away a kill. The Owls scored three straight points in the final points to bring their total to 16, but back-to-back kills by Lund ended the set.
Set Four: Kennesaw State 25, No 13. Pitt 20
Kennesaw State knotted the match at two sets apiece after earning a 25-20 victory. It was a close battle through the early points, but a 6-2 run in favor of the Owls but the opposing team up 15-2.
Pitt kept within range and even pulled within one point twice late in the set, but Kennesaw went used another 6-2 run in the final points to come out on top.
Set Five: No 13. Pitt 15, Kennesaw State 7
In the final set, the Panthers came out on top 15-7 to take the match. Pitt hit .412 in the set, led by Lund who had four kills. The Panthers defense also stepped up as three big blocks and solid back row defense held the Owls to a .048 clip.
With the score tied 5-5, Pitt forced Kennesaw State to call a timeout following a 5-1 run which put the Panthers ahead 10-6. Lund owned three of Pitt's five points through the run. The Panthers went on to allow the Owls just one more point, as they scored the final five in dominating fashion to win the match.
UP NEXT
Pitt will complete its Friday action by hosting Dayton at 7 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Field House. The Panther Invitational match will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available via the WatchESPN app.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
With the victory, Pitt remains undefeated with a 7-0 record, while Kennesaw State dropped its first match of the season to move to 6-1.
The Panthers struggled out of the gate, dropping the opening set 25-23 in a hard fought battle. The second was also tight, but Pitt came from behind in the final points with a 5-0 run to win 26-24. The Panthers extended their lead to 2-1 in the match with a 25-16 victory in the third, but the Owls evened the score after picking up the fourth set, 25-20. Pitt closed out the match with a 15-7 win in the fifth.
Four Panthers finished the match with 10 or more kills including sophomores Kayla Lund (14) and Chinaza Ndee (13), as well as juniors Layne Van Buskirk (13) and Nika Markovic (10). Lund continues her streak of earning double-digit kills in every match of the season and also picked up her sixth double-double, tallying 11 digs.
Aiding the offense were setters Kamalani Akeo and Kylee Levers, who tallied 26 and 22 assists respectively.
On defense, redshirt senior Angela Seman led the back row with 17 digs, while Van Buskirk posted a season-high eight blocks. Markovic and redshirt junior Stephanie Williams added seven apiece.
Pitt won the defensive matchup, out-blocking Kennesaw State, 18.5 to 10. The Panthers also recorded 29 digs to the Owls' 46.
Set One: Kennesaw State 25, No 13. Pitt 23
Despite leading for the majority of the set, Pitt fell in the opening frame. The Panthers were unable to stop the Owls, who went on a 12-6 run to end the set.
Pitt took control after tying the score 6-6, earning a lead by as many as six points. However, the Owls fought back after trailing 20-18 to tie it up at 23 all. The Panthers were unable to regain the lead again as Pitt dropped the final two points.
Set Two: No 13. Pitt 26, Kennesaw State 24
The Panthers were able to outlast the Owls, 26-24, for a second set victory that tied up the match. Pitt trailed Kennesaw State for the majority of the frame despite leading early. However, the Panthers were battled back to tie the set 15-15 thanks to a kill by Williams. The two teams exchanged back-and-forth points until the Owls used a 5-1 run to pull ahead 24-21. Facing set point, Pitt went scored five straight to complete the comeback and earn the set win. The five points consisted of three clutch blocks by the Panthers, as well as a kill by Ndee and a KSU error.
Set Three: No 13. Pitt 25, Kennesaw State 16
The Panthers dominated the third set, holding the Owls under 20 points for the first time in the match. Pitt found its groove from the start, jumping out to a 6-1 lead courtesy of three straight blocks by the Panthers.
Pitt continued to drive up the score, leading by 10 late in the set 23-13, as Williams served up an ace and Van Buskirk put away a kill. The Owls scored three straight points in the final points to bring their total to 16, but back-to-back kills by Lund ended the set.
Set Four: Kennesaw State 25, No 13. Pitt 20
Kennesaw State knotted the match at two sets apiece after earning a 25-20 victory. It was a close battle through the early points, but a 6-2 run in favor of the Owls but the opposing team up 15-2.
Pitt kept within range and even pulled within one point twice late in the set, but Kennesaw went used another 6-2 run in the final points to come out on top.
Set Five: No 13. Pitt 15, Kennesaw State 7
In the final set, the Panthers came out on top 15-7 to take the match. Pitt hit .412 in the set, led by Lund who had four kills. The Panthers defense also stepped up as three big blocks and solid back row defense held the Owls to a .048 clip.
With the score tied 5-5, Pitt forced Kennesaw State to call a timeout following a 5-1 run which put the Panthers ahead 10-6. Lund owned three of Pitt's five points through the run. The Panthers went on to allow the Owls just one more point, as they scored the final five in dominating fashion to win the match.
UP NEXT
Pitt will complete its Friday action by hosting Dayton at 7 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Field House. The Panther Invitational match will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available via the WatchESPN app.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
KSU
UP
Kills
61
56
Errors
33
25
Attempts
160
138
Hitting %
.175
.225
Points
74.0
79.5
Assists
58
54
Aces
3
5
Blocks
10.0
18.5
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
7
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballRS
/ VolleyballMH/RS
/ Volleyball
L
/ VolleyballMH
/ Volleyball
OH
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