Pitt
28-4,16-2ACC
Washington State
26-8,14-6Pac-12
Panthers Sweep Washington State, Head to Fourth Straight Elite Eight
12/7/2023 7:01:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 1 seed University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (28-4, 16-2 ACC) swept Washington State (26-8, 14-6 Pac-12) on Thursday night to advance to the Regional Finals. This is the fourth straight season the Panthers have advanced to the Elite Eight and second time they have the right to host the Regional Final match.
Both teams felt each other out the beginning of the first set, as the Panthers and Cougars traded points back and forth. Neither team called a timeout before the media break with Pitt up 15-14 after a Valeria Vazquez Gomez kill. After a pair of Olivia Babcock kills down the stretch, the Panthers went up 21-19, causing Washington State to call a timeout. A 4-1 Pitt run including two Cat Flood aces secured the first set win, 25-20.
The Panthers came out of the break hot, getting out to an early 5-1 lead and caused the Cougars to take an early timeout. Vazquez Gomez forced an attack error and powered Babcock to two straight kills from behind the service line to continue the streak. Babcock continued to shine in her first NCAA Tournament, recording an ace and a pair of kills, forcing the Cougars to take their second timeout, down 5-13. Stafford and Babcock didn't look like freshmen as the duo dominated throughout the match and particularly the end of the second set to will the Panthers to a 25-13 victory.
Pitt never slowed down in the third, as Vazquez Gomez and Flood combined for two solid service runs to force Washington State to take an early timeout yet again. The Cougars came within three points, down only 6-9, but an 8-5 run behind kills from Torrey Stafford, Babcock and Emma Monks allowed Pitt to take a dominant 17-11 lead as the Cougars took their final timeout. The Panthers fired on all cylinders for the remainder of the way, winning the third set 25-16 and the match, 3-0.
NOTES
- With her first block of the match, Emma Monks now holds the all-time single season blocks record (passing Jessica Moses who previously held the record with 151)
- Olivia Babcock recorded a match-high 15 kills, hitting .500 while adding six digs, five blocks and four aces
- Babcock is now fourth in program history for highest hitting percentage in an NCAA Tournament match
- Cat Flood tied a career-high with three aces
- Rachel Fairbanks nearly recorded a double-double, notching 31 assists and seven digs
UP NEXT
The No. 1 seed Panthers are back in action on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Field House as they play No. 2 seed and ACC rival, Louisville. The winner will advance to the National Semifinals in Tampa, Fla. next week.
