Pitt Volleyball is Final Four Bound!!

Saturday, December 10

Madison, WI

8 PM

Pitt

31-3,17-1ACC

Wisconsin

28-4,19-1Big Ten

Pittsburgh

Wisconsin

Pitt Volleyball is Final Four Bound!!

12/11/2022 1:20:00 AM | Volleyball

Box Score Box_Score_at_UW.PDF

Panthers defeat defending National Champions, Wisconsin, advance to second straight NCAA Semifinal

MADISON, Wisc. – No. 2 seeded Pitt (31-3, 17-1 ACC) has punched its ticket to the NCAA Semifinals for the second year in a row, dethroning the defending national champions, No. 1 seeded Wisconsin, 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 19-25, 15-13), inside UW Field House in Madison, Wisc.

The Panthers will play Co-ACC Champions Louisville in the NCAA Semifinals in Omaha, Nebraska on December 15.

"What a game," Head Coach Dan Fisher said. "Huge congratulations to Wisconsin on a great season. We have a lot of respect for that program. It's easy to see why they're great. You can see what a volleyball town this is and it was an honor to be here. I don't know how much I can tell you about the Xs and Os. We just found a way. I'm proud of this team. I'm proud that we're doing it in the lineup we're in. Cam Ennis hasn't played outside all year and she's being a true warrior. We're showing a lot of heart in some tough moments. I'm so incredibly proud."

TEAM QUICK HITS

Pitt has advanced to its second straight NCAA Semifinal and second in program history.
The ACC has advanced both Pitt and Louisville to the NCAA Semifinals – becoming the first conference to send multiple teams to back-to-back Final Fours since the Big 10 did so in 2018 (Illinois and Nebraska) and 2019 (Wisconsin and Minnesota).
Pitt is now 11-2 in its last three NCAA Tournament matches, tied for the second most wins in Division I over that span.
This was Pitt's 140^th victory since the start of the 2018 season – the most in Division I
The Panthers defeated AVCA No. 2 Wisconsin, tied for the highest ranked in in program history - tied with the win over No. 2 Louisville from earlier this season (10/23).
Pitt has now defeated five Top 10-ranked opponents this year – the most in a single season in program history and the most Top 10 wins of any Pitt team in the history of the athletic department.
Pitt is now 3-1 vs. Top 5, 5-1 vs. Top 10, 7-1 vs. Top 15 and 8-1 vs. Top 20 opponents this season, all program records.
The Panthers have won 31 matches this season, the most since 1990.
This will be the first Final Four since 2006 that does not feature a representative from the Big 10.
Pitt made 88 digs tonight, the most digs in an NCAA Tournament match in the modern scoring era.

INDIVIDUAL QUICK HITS

Courtney Buzzerio made 18 kills tonight bringing her NCAA Tournament total to 69, the second most in program history.
She has now made 448 kills this year, a new career best.
Her 448 kills is the second most by any Panther in the modern scoring era, behind only Stephanie Williams (467 in 2016).
Buzzerio was named NCAA Madison Regional MVP. She finished the weekend with 37 kills.
Rachel Fairbanks and Chiamaka Nwokolo were each named All-Region as well. It is the second career All-NCAA Regional award for Fairbanks and the first for Nwokolo.
Valeria Vazquez Gomez led the way defensively, making 22 digs, the second most by a Panther in an NCAA Tournament match.
She recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 22 digs – her first NCAA Tournament double-double, fifth of the season and seventh of her career.
Fairbanks led the team with 37 assists, 16 digs, seven kills, two aces and three blocks. It was her team-leading 15^th double-double of the season and her fourth in an NCAA Tournament match.
Lexis Akeo rounded out the double-doubles making 16 assists and 10 digs.
Chiamaka Nwokolo made 12 kills on a team-best .458 hitting.
She has now recorded 158 kills this season, a new career best.
Cat Flood led the team with three aces, tied for her career high. She has made at least one ace in each of Pitt's last three wins in the tournament.
Cam Ennis made nine kills tonight, her highest total as a Panther after playing much of the season as a setter.

SET 1: PITT 23 – WISCONSIN 25
The Panthers established themselves early on, taking an 8-3 and eventually an 18-11 lead. But Wisconsin chipped away, tying the score at 21-21, and eventually coming away with a come from behind set win. Pitt hit just .059 by the end of the set as both teams quickly established that defense was going to be the difference. Pitt made 21 digs but it wasn't enough to Wisconsin's 25. Nwokolo was having success down the middle, making three kills on six swings, but the Badgers took the early set lead. Vazquez Gomez and Klika led the back row with five digs apiece with Fairbanks close behind, making four.

SET 2: PITT 25 – WISCONSIN 21
Pitt proved the start of the first was no fluke, overcoming a 3-0 Badger run at the start of the set with a 5-0 run off the serving of Cam Ennis to go in front, 5-3. Both sides would trade points until Pitt broke the set open with a 6-2 scoring run to go in front, 20-14. A late ace from Flood put Pitt ahead, 22-15, and Pitt held tough to take the set by four. Vazquez Gomez was remarkable on offense, making five kills on nine swings as Buzzerio and Gray each added four kills of their own. Akeo and Klika held down the back row, making five digs each as Pitt out-dug the Badgers, 21-18 in the set.

SET 3: PITT 25 – WISCONSIN 21
The incredible team defense continued in the third as both back rows continuously dug some incredibly hard-hit attacks. Both teams struggled to find separation in the third, with Pitt going in front, 13-10, only for Wisconsin to answer and take the lead, 15-14. Neither side led by more than two from that point on until a Buzzerio kill made it 22-20, putting Vazquez Gomez on the service line for a string of three strong serves resulting in kills from Nwokolo and Ennis, putting Pitt in front, 24-20, after an incredibly hard-fought set. It was Buzzerio that put the bow on things, ending the set, 25-21, and giving Pitt a one set advantage. Pitt out-killed Wisconsin 21-12 as the Badgers relied on their block for a majority of their points (six blocks). Buzzerio made six kills followed by four from Ennis on .571 hitting. The Panthers, once again, won the digging battle, making 23 digs compared to just 16 from Wisconsin. Vazquez Gomez was the leader, making five digs as Browske, Eennis, Buzzerio, Fairbanks and Klika all contributed at least three digs in the set.

SET 4: PITT 19 – WISCONSIN 25
Wisconsin refused to lose in four, getting out to a 5-1 advantage, withstanding the Pitt counterattack (9-8) and growing the lead to as many as six points (19-13). Pitt would cut the lead to four, 23-19. But Wisconsin earned the set, taking it by six points in the end.

SET 5: PITT 15 – WISCONSIN 13
The Panthers sent a chill down the spines of the 7,229 Badger fans in the arena, jumping out to a 7-2 lead in the final set thanks to a service error and two massive blocks from Gray. Wisconsin went on a 6-0 run to erase an 11-6 Pitt lead and take a lead of their own, 12-11, only for Buzzerio to stop the run with a kill. The score would be tied at 12 and 13 before Valeria Vazquez Gomez made a kill to give Pitt its first match point. After a rally, it was Buzzerio, of course, who terminated the final ball, sending the Panthers to the NCAA Semifinals for the second year in a row.

UP NEXT
The Panthers will head to Omaha, Nebraska to compete in their second consecutive NCAA Semifinal. Pitt will take on fellow Co-ACC Champion Louisville in the semifinal match on December 15. For further information on the NCAA Championships, click here and follow Pitt Volleyball on social media at the links below.

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