Pitt
23-4,14-2ACC
#4 Louisville
23-4,14-3ACC
Pitt Sets Attendance Record in Reverse Sweep over No. 4 Louisville
11/18/2023 5:41:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH –The No. 7 University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (23-4, 14-2 ACC) completed the reverse sweep over No. 4 Louisville (23-4, 14-3 ACC) in a 2022 Final Four rematch at the Petersen Events Center on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers set an all-time attendance record as 8,865 people witnessed the unbelievable match.
Both teams felt each other out at the beginning of set one, as neither squad called a timeout in the first 15 points. The Cardinals were up 15-13 at the media timeout and extended their lead to 17-13 after a pair of Anna DeBeer kills, forcing Pitt to use its first timeout. A 4-1 Cardinal run halted Pittsburgh as it called its final timeout, down 21-15. The Panthers were unable to create a comeback as Louisville won the first set, 25-19.
Pitt responded well in set two, getting out to an early 7-2 lead behind three kills from Olivia Babcock a Cat Flood ace. The Cardinals went on a 5-1 run, but Pitt was able to find separation as it went into the media timeout, up 15-11. Both teams clawed back and forth, but the Panthers were able to create set point up 24-21; however, the Cardinals went on a 5-0 run to steal set two and go up 2-0.
The Panthers continued to fight their way back, but neither team was able to create any service runs early in set three. Pitt called a timeout down 9-10. Multiple kills from Olivia Babcock, Stafford, Emma Monks and Valeria Vazquez Gomez forced Louisville to take a timeout with the Panthers up 23-22. A Stafford kill and a pair of Cardinal errors allowed Pitt to narrowly take the third set win, 26-24. Three Panthers recorded at least four kills in the set.
The Cardinals held a narrow lead at 9-7 in set four, but a 5-1 Pitt run, anchored by tough serving from Rachel Fairbanks and two kills from Vazquez Gomez forced Louisville to take a timeout. The Cardinals came within one or two multiple times, but a 6-4 run by the Panthers caused Louisville to take its final timeout, down 22-19. Pitt would take a timeout a few points later, after a Louisville outside Charitie Luper kill and a Pitt hitting error. A pair of attack errors from the Cardinals and a Stafford kill secured the fourth set win, 25-21.
Louisville responded well after losing consecutive sets, as it went up 7-4 early, and Pitt needed a timeout. Babcock came alive in the following stretch and helped the Panthers tie the match, 10-10. Both teams sided out back and forth until Louisville had match point, up 14-13. Stafford came in clutch and recorded a kill from the outside, and a pair of Cardinal errors was enough for Pitt to complete the reverse sweep, winning set five, 17-15 and the match, 3-2.
NOTES
- Pitt set an attendance record with 8,865, breaking the previous record of 5,195 against Penn State in 2019
- Torrey Stafford recorded a career-high 21 kills and 11 digs and added three blocks, while hitting .439
- Olivia Babcock set a career-high in kills and digs with 23 and 12, respectively, for her first double-double
- Rachel Fairbanks recorded a career-high 58 assists and 19 digs, alongside two blocks and two kills and set the Panthers to a .384 clip
UP NEXT
The No. 7 Panthers host Miami in the final regular season match of the year on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Field House. The match will be available on ACCNX.
