Pitt
20-4,11-2ACC
Florida State
17-8,11-2ACC
Pitt Fights, Falls to Florida State in Five Sets
11/3/2023 11:08:00 PM | Volleyball
TALLAHASSEE, FL –The No. 6 University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (20-4, 11-2 ACC) lost to Florida State (16-9, 11-2 ACC) in Tully Gymnasium on Friday night in Tallahassee in five sets. Despite being down two sets and tying it up, the Panthers were unable to capture the fifth set victory.
Pitt and Florida State competed from the first point of the match, as the Seminoles got up 8-6 early in the first set and eventually forced a Pitt timeout, with the Panthers down 13-9. Pitt would come within two, but a 3-0 run for the Seminoles caused the Panthers to take their second timeout, down 14-19. A kill from Emma Monks and Olivia Babcock and a Valeria Vazquez Gomez ace forced Florida State to take a timeout, only trailing 20-17. A 5-1 run from the Seminoles allowed them to take the first set win, 25-18.
Like set one, Florida State got out to an early 8-6 lead. Both teams continued going back and forth until the Seminoles went into the media timeout, up 15-12. A pair of Florida State points caused Pitt to take its first timeout of the second set. Rachel Fairbanks caused the Seminoles to be out of system from the service line and pushed the Panthers within four, down 17-21 as Florida State called a timeout. Vazquez Gomez went on a mini run behind the line and gave Pitt some momentum, and Florida State called its final timeout, up 23-21. A pair of Panther hitting errors was enough for the Seminoles to secure set two, 25-21.
The Seminoles continued its momentum in the third, but a service run from Chiamaka Nwokolo evened things up at 7-7. Pitt gained its first separation of the match as Olivia Babcock came alive offensively as the Panthers went up 12-8, forcing Florida State to take a timeout. After sustaining the lead and pushing the score to 16-12, a Kiari Robey service run made thing interesting, but a Nwokolo kill and Florida State error produced a Seminole timeout, with Pitt up 18-16. The Noles caused Pitt to take a timeout at 21-21, but a trio of kills from Stafford and Babcock allowed Pitt to take the third set, 25-23.
Pitt had all the momentum going into the fourth set, getting out to a 6-1 lead, causing Florida State to take an early timeout. An efficient side out percentage and Vazquez Gomez service run lead to the Seminoles taking their final timeout, down 10-17. A pair of Vazquez Gomez kills and Seminole errors gave Pitt the fourth set, 25-18.
The fifth set was a battle from the first point, but Pitt was able to get out to a 11-8 lead as Florida State called a timeout. The Seminoles did not go away though, going on a 5-0 run to hold a 13-11 advantage late. Stafford responded with a kill, but a Pitt hitting error gave the Seminoles match point, 14-12. The Panthers did not let up, recording the next two points to tie things up at 14-14, but a Pitt service error and Seminole block clinched the 16-14 fifth set victory and 3-2 win.
NOTES
- Olivia Babcock and Torrey Stafford tied their career high in kills with 19 and 17, respectively.
- Rachel Fairbanks recorded her second consecutive double-double with a match-high 39 assists and 11 digs
- Pitt notched 65 kills and 61 assists compared to Florida State's 49 and 43
UP NEXT
The No. 6 Panthers will conclude their road weekend on Sunday afternoon against Miami. First serve is set for 1 p.m. and is available on ACCNX.
