Pitt
Miami
Panthers Host Miami in Final Regular Season Home Match
11/21/2023 4:01:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 3 Pitt volleyball team (23-4, 14-2 ACC) will play Miami (17-9, 10-6 ACC) for the final home regular season match of the season on Wednesday night. First serve is set for 7 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Field House and can be streamed on ACCNX.
Pitt leads the all-time series against Miami 14-4 and have won 11 matches in a row. Most recently the Panthers defeated the Hurricanes in Coral Gables 3-1, led by Rachel Fairbanks who recorded 48 assists, seven digs, three blocks and two kills. The Hurricanes are led by fifth year setter Savanna Vach who leads the ACC in assists per set and freshman right side hitter Grace Lopez.
REVERSE, REVERSE
• The Panthers defeated Louisville on Saturday afternoon after dropping the first two sets.
• Torrey Stafford, Olivia Babcock, Rachel Fairbanks and Valeria Vazquez Gomez all recorded double-doubles.
• Pitt and Florida State are now tied for first in the ACC with one week of conference play left.
VOLLEYBALL TOWN
• 8,865 people watched Pitt reverse sweep Louisville on Saturday in the Petersen Events Center for an all-time attendance record.
• This mark beats the previous program high of 5,195 set in 2019 in a home match against Penn State.
STAFFORD/FAIRBANKS SHINE
• Torrey Stafford showed out on Saturday against Louisville, recording a career-high 21 kills and 11 digs for her second double-double of the season.
• She hit .439 and was rewarded with her first ACC Offensive Player of the Week and third ACC Freshman of the Week honor.
• Rachel Fairbanks earned her fourth ACC Setter of the Week honor after recording a career-high 58 assists and 19 digs against Louisville.
BIG-TIME BABCOCK
• Freshman Olivia Babcock earned her first AVCA Player of the Week a few weeks ago, notching 15 kills on a .652 hitting percentage against then No. 8 Georgia Tech.
• This is first time a Panther has earned the award since Kayla Lund did so in 2021.
TOP 10 SMACKDOWN
• No. 7 Pitt dominated against then No. 8 Georgia Tech, hitting .440 in the match.
• Olivia Babcock recorded 15 kills on a career-high .652 hitting percentage.
• Rachel Fairbanks recorded a match-high 33 assists and eight digs along with two kills and a block.
GRITTY PANTHERS
• The Panthers are currently seventh in the nation in opponent hitting percentage, holding teams to an average .147.
• The combination of Pitt's block and back court defense has been tough to stop this season, and it has held 12 opponents to less than a .100 hitting percentage.
BLOCK PARTY
• The Pitt Panthers are currently second in the nation in blocks per set (2.97).
• Chiamaka Nwokolo, Rachel Jepsen, Olivia Babcock and Emma Monks have all registered at least six blocks in a match so far this season.
• Emma Monks is currently fourth in the nation and first in the ACC in blocks per set (1.55) while Chiamaka sits at 1.19 blocks per set, good for sixth in the conference.
• Monks recorded a career-high 11 blocks in the sweep over Virginia Tech and eight most recently in the sweep of Georgia Tech.
