No. 2 Pitt Volleyball to Host Clemson, No. 18 Georgia Tech

PITTSBURGH – After gaining its first No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Volleyball rating percentage index (RPI) and retaining its No. 2 ranking in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Poll, the Pitt volleyball team (14-0, 4-0 ACC) will host two ACC matches at Fitzgerald Field House this weekend.

Pitt will welcome Clemson (10-5, 2-2 ACC) for a 5 p.m. ET tilt on ACC Network Friday before hosting No. 18 Georgia Tech (11-3, 2-2 ACC) Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

Match 15 – Clemson at No. 2 Pitt (Friday, 5 p.m. ET): Live Stats | ACC Network | Tickets
Match 16 – No. 18 Georgia Tech at No. 2 Pitt (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET): Live Stats | Watch | Tickets
Fans can follow @Pitt_VB on Twitter and Instagram for live updates during all matches.

PROMOTIONS

Friday vs. Clemson: Vollequality, Forever Panther Weekend, Freeze Pop Friday
Sunday vs. No. 18 Georgia Tech: Forever Panther Recognition, Family 4-Pack
Weekend Ticket Package: One ticket to both matches for the price of one!

PANTHERS TOP FIRST NCAA VOLLEYBALL RATING PERCENTAGE INDEX (RPI)

For the first time in program history, the Panthers earned the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Volleyball rating percentage index (RPI), as announced Monday.
The rating percentage index, commonly known as the RPI, is a quantity used to rank sports teams based upon a team's wins and losses and its strength of schedule.

PITT REMAINS AT HIGHEST RANKING IN PROGRAM HISTORY

In the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll, announced Monday, the Panthers remained at No. 2, tied for their highest ranking in program history and the highest ranking ever for an ACC volleyball team.
Pitt was ranked No. 2 for six weeks during the 2019 season.
This week marks Pitt's 16th appearance in the Top 5 in program history.
The Panthers have appeared in 61 consecutive AVCA Top 25 polls, dating back to the 2018 Preseason Poll.

MILESTONE WINS FOR COACH FISHER

Ninth-year head coach Dan Fisher has earned two milestone wins for his Pitt career so far this season.
With a sweep of Duke (Oct. 1), Fisher earned his 100th win at Fitzgerald Field House. He holds an astounding 100-17 record (.855) when coaching at the venue.
The Panthers' sweep of South Carolina (Aug. 28) marked Fisher's 200th win at Pitt. He joined an elite group as the 11th coach in Pitt history to earn 200 wins leading a Panther team, in any sport. He became the second Pitt volleyball coach to reach the milestone, following Shelton Collier (295 wins, 1980-88). The full list of coaches includes: Joe Jordano (baseball) – 588, Bobby Lewis (baseball) – 438, Doc Carlson (men's basketball) – 366, Jamie Dixon (men's basketball) – 328, Rande Stottlemyer (wrestling) – 304, Shelton Collier (volleyball) – 295, Debbie Yohman (gymnastics) – 292, Holly Aprile (softball) – 271, Michelle Phelan (softball) – 226, and Joe Luxbacher (men's soccer) – 221.

PITT VS. THE AVCA TOP 25

The Panthers are 23-20 (.535) against American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 opponents under ninth-year head coach Dan Fisher (2013-present).
Pitt holds an 8-3 (.727) record in its last 11 meetings against AVCA Top 25 opponents.
When both teams are ranked, the Panthers are 18-12 (.600) all-time in those meetings.
The Panthers are 4-0 against Top 25 opponents so far this season, defeating No. 23 Rice, No. 18 Washington State, No. 9 Baylor and No. 12 BYU.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt went 2-0 in its first two ACC home matches, sweeping both Virginia and Duke at Fitzgerald Field House.
The Panthers limited the Cavaliers to fewer than 20 points in each set, winning by scores of 25-19, 25-15, 25-15. Pitt had the advantage in hitting percentage (.319-.097), kills (42-24), assists (37-20), service aces (10-4) and digs (44-31). UVA had more blocks (9.0-4.0). Senior middle blocker Serena Gray had nine kills on a .692 hitting clip, with zero errors on 13 attempts. She added two service aces and a team-best four blocks. Outside hitter Kayla Lund also had nine kills and added two service aces, two blocks and eight digs.
Pitt earned the sweep against Duke by scores of 25-20, 25-19, 25-20. The Panthers have won 27 of their last 29 sets. Pitt had the advantage against the Blue Devils in hitting percentage (.354-.202), kills (49-30), assists (47-28), service aces (7-4), and digs (41-25). Duke had more blocks (10.0-5.0). Lund had a match-best 14 kills on .440 hitting, with just three errors on 25 swings. Right side Chinaza Ndee contributed 10 kills on .450 hitting.

RECORD WATCH

A trio of Panthers are rising in the Pitt volleyball career record rankings, following Pitt's most recent win against Duke (Oct. 1).
Two-time ACC Volleyball Player of the Year Kayla Lund has moved into the program's Top 5 for career kills. Following the win against the Blue Devils, she has 1,495 and ranks fourth all-time. Lund also ranks in the program's Top 10 for service aces (tied for fifth, 137), attacks (seventh, 3,566) and digs (ninth, 1,152). Lund needs one service ace to take sole possession of fifth place.
All-American right side Chinaza Ndee has moved into second place in program history with 413 block assists. She needs 97 more to take sole possession of first place in the record book. Ndee ranks sixth all-time with 431 total blocks for her career.
Senior middle blocker Sabrina Starks is eighth all-time for Pitt with 290 career block assists. She needs seven to move into sole possession of seventh place.

A WIN WOULD…

A win against Clemson Friday would improve the Panthers' record to 15-0, extending their best start to a season since 2018, when Pitt earned its best start to a season in program history (23-0).

A LOOK AROUND THE ACC

Two of the NCAA's three remaining unbeaten teams are from the ACC, including No. 2 Pitt (14-0, 4-0) and No. 3 Louisville (14-0, 4-0). The other remaining unbeaten is No. 1 Texas (11-0, 2-0 Big 12).
The ACC has three teams in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, including No. 2 Pitt, No. 3 Louisville and No. 18 Georgia Tech.
Pitt holds a 219-88 (.713) record against the current ACC membership. The Panthers' last loss to an ACC school was against No. 6 Louisville on Oct. 25, 2020, in Pittsburgh. Pitt has won 14 consecutive contests against ACC opponents since that match.

SCOUTING CLEMSON

The Tigers (10-5, 2-2 ACC) are coming off back-to-back sweep losses at the hands of No. 3 Louisville and Notre Dame. Prior to the losses, Clemson had won six matches in a row.
Kaylee Martin leads Clemson with 3.25 kills per set, followed by Camryn Hannah with 3.12 kills per frame.
Pitt has won nine consecutive matches in the series against Clemson and are 9-1 all-time against the Tigers. The Panthers' only loss was in the first meeting, Aug. 30, 1997, 3-1. Pitt is 4-0 all-time when competing against Clemson in Pittsburgh.

SCOUTING NO. 18 GEORGIA TECH

No. 18 Georgia Tech (11-3, 2-2 ACC) will be Pitt's fifth Top 25 opponent of the season, and its first since a 3-1 win over then twelfth-ranked BYU (Sept. 10).
Georgia Tech is looking to bounce back after back-ot-back home losses to Notre Dame (3-2) and No. 3 Louisville (3-0). The Yellow Jackets will face Virginia Friday on the road before traveling to Pittsburgh Sunday.
The Yellow Jackets lead the ACC in assists per set (13.16) and kills per set (14.50), ranking eighth and fourth in the NCAA in those categories.
Two Yellow Jackets rank in the league's Top 5 in kills per set, attacks per set and points per set: Julia Bergmann and Mariana Brambilla. Bergmann leads the ACC in those three categories while Brambilla ranks fourth.
Setter Matti McKissock is the ACC's leader with 10.96 assists per frame.
Pitt has won 10 consecutive matches against Georgia Tech, which is tied for the Panthers' fourth-longest active win streak against an opponent. Pitt's last and only loss was the teams' first meeting on Aug. 24, 2007, 3-1. The Panthers are 6-0 when hosting the Yellow Jackets at Fitzgerald Field House.

UP NEXT

Pitt will play its next four matches on the road, starting with a weekend in Florida against Miami (Oct. 15) and Florida State (Oct. 17). The match against the Hurricanes will be streamed on ACC Network Extra while the match against the Seminoles was picked up for a linear broadcast on ACC Network.

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