Pitt
29-4,16-2ACC
Louisville
27-5,15-3ACC
Pitt Advances to Third Straight National Semifinal!
12/9/2023 9:19:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 1 seed University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (29-4, 16-2 ACC) evened the score and defeated No. 7 Louisville (27-5, 15-3 ACC) in a reverse sweep Saturday evening at the Fitzgerald Field House. Pitt is the only school in the country to advance to the last three straight National Semifinals.
Pitt started off the first set a bit sluggish as it was forced to take an early timeout, down 11-6. Valeria Vazquez Gomez recorded back-to-back kills a few points later, but the Panthers were unable to string together a substantial run, causing Pitt to take its final timeout, down 14-19. A 5-2 run behind two kills from Emma Monks and a Vazquez Gomez ace forced Louisville to take its first timeout of the match at 21-19. Olivia Babcock would register a kill the following point, but a trio of Cardinal kills was enough for Louisville to take the first set, 25-23.
The Panthers and Cardinals went back and forth in the first half of set two until the score was tied at 13-13. A 6-3 run from Louisville caused Pitt to take its first timeout, with Louisville holding a three-point lead at 19-16. Vazquez Gomez recorded a kill, but a Louisville kill and Pitt hitting error forced the Panthers to take its final timeout. Louisville libero Elena Scott recorded back-to-back aces down the stretch to help the Cardinals secure set two, 25-20.
Louisville held an early 9-7 lead in the third set, but Vazquez Gomez went on a 5-0 serving run, behind two Louisville errors and a kill from Torrey Stafford and Babcock. Louisville would not take a timeout as Pitt went into the media timeout up 15-12. The Cardinals notched a pair of kills, but Babcock and Monks returned the favor and forced Louisville to take a timeout. Stafford immediately put two balls away after the break, and Louisville took their final timeout. Stafford notched another kill and senior Cat Flood was clutch and recorded an ace to win a decisive third set, 25-16.
Once again, Pitt came out of the break hot as Babcock recorded consecutive aces and Stafford registered two kills to force the Cardinals to take a timeout, down 7-4. Louisville came within two at 11-9, but Rachel Fairbanks created a mini service run as Pitt went up 14-9. Both teams sided out at a high clip, but Louisville was able to come within five points to force the Panthers to take a timeout. Shortly after Babcock secured the fourth set win, 25-19.
Everything went Pitt's way in set five as three combined kills from Babcock and Nwokolo caused Louisville to take a timeout, down 4-1. Flood continued to impress behind the service line in her final match at the Fitzgerald Field House to propel the Panthers to a dominant 9-3 lead. Louisville continued to fight but was unable to create a run, and Pitt won the fifth set 15-7 and match, 3-2.
NOTES
- Emma Monks is now tied for first in program history for most block assists in an NCAA Tournament match (8)
- Pitt is the only program to advance to the last three National Semifinals
- Rachel Fairbanks' 48 assists are the second most in program history in an NCAA Tournament match.
- Torrey Stafford recorded her fourth double-double of the season
All Tournament Team
- Olivia Babcock - Pitt (MVP)
- Rachel Fairbanks - Pitt
- Emma Monks - Pitt
- Torrey Stafford - Pitt
- Elena Scott - Louisville
- Cara Cresse - Louisville
- Anna DeBeer - Louisville
- PK Kong - Louisville
- Kendra Wait - Creighton
UP NEXT
The No. 1 seed Panthers advance to the National Semifinals on Dec. 14 in Tampa, Fla. Pitt will play the No. 1 overall seed Nebraska in a 2021 National Semifinals rematch.
