Pitt
#23 USC
No. 1 Panthers Head to California for Trio of Matches
9/10/2024 2:00:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 1 Pitt volleyball team (3-0, 0-0 ACC) returns to the west coast to play #23 USC (3-1, 0-0 Big Ten) in the Galen Center on Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET. This is the second straight season the two programs have played each other. The Panthers will wrap up the trip playing Pepperdine (1-3 0-0 WCC) in Malibu in a late-night matchup on Friday night at 9:30 p.m. ET before taking on UC Santa Barbara (2-4, 0-0 Big West) in a neutral match on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
The Panthers upended the Trojans last season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in four sets at the Petersen Events Center. After going down a set, Pitt captured the final three sets. Olivia Babcock led the Panthers with 16 kills, 12 digs, three assists and two aces. Rachel Fairbanks recorded a double-double with 41 assists and 10 digs, adding four kills on a .429 hitting percentage.
The Panthers and Waves are 3-3 in the series. Pitt most recently defeated Pepperdine on the road in a tightly contested five set match in 2019. Previously the Panthers upended the Waves in 2018 in a dominant three set sweep.
Pitt and UCSB have played a total of seven matches and won the last two. The Panthers beat the Gauchos in a three-set match in 2017, holding UCSB to 18 points or less in all three sets.
TOUGH BEHIND THE LINE
• Three Panthers are ranked in the top 40 in the NCAA in aces per set.
• Valeria Vazquez Gomez (10th), Olivia Babcock (12th) and Rachel Fairbanks (38th) lead the charge for Pitt.
STAFFORD'S STRONG START
• Torrey Stafford is off to an incredible start to her sophomore campaign, leading the Panthers in points, points per set, kills and kills per set and is third in digs and digs per set.
• She sits at 10th in the NCAA in points per set (5.36) and 19th in kills per set (4.57).
PITT SITS AT THE TOP
• For the first time in program history, the Panthers are ranked number one in the AVCA/Taraflex poll.
• The Panthers reached the number two spot in the 2021 poll before they reached their first Final Four.
• Pitt was ranked in the top ten all season last year, finishing the season at number four.
PANTHER HOMECOMING
• Rachel Fairbanks, Olivia Babcock, Torrey Stafford, Dillyn Griffin and head coach Dan Fisher return to their home state of California for the week.
• The four Panthers hail from the Los Angeles area while Fisher is from Santa Barbara.
• Fisher began his coaching career at his alma mater, University of the Pacific, working with the women's and men's programs before being named the Associate Head Coach at the University of San Francisco.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
• The Panthers have swept all three of their opponents this year, most recently defeating Buffalo at home.
• Nine Panthers registered at least a kill while Torrey Stafford notched seven kills in the first set.
• Pitt dominated from the service line, collecting 10 aces led by Cat Flood and Olivia Babcock with three a piece.
• Freshman middle blocker Bianca Garibaldi saw her first action in a Pitt jersey and added two blocks and a kill.
DOWN GO THE DUCKS
• The Panthers defeated #10 Oregon in its season opener in straight sets.
• Senior setter Rachel Fairbanks led the charge with her first double-double of the season (34A, 11D).
• Sophomore outside hitter Torrey Stafford came in hot after returning from injury, recording a match-high 13 kills on a .333 hitting percentage and adding five digs.
CONQUERED THE BEACH
• Pitt dominated in its second match of the season, beating Long Beach State in 3-0 sweep fashion.
• Four freshmen experienced their college debut while senior transfer setter Nisa Buzlutepe saw her first action against The Beach.
• The team was clicking on all cylinders, hitting .351 for the match.
• Rachel Fairbanks recorded her second straight double-double with 25 assists and 11 digs.
FRESH FACES
• The Panthers welcome five true freshmen in Ryla Jones, Bianca Garibaldi, Kiana Dinn, Mallorie Meyer and Dalia Vîrlan.
• Jones and Garibaldi joined the team in January, Dinn and Meyer arrived in Pittsburgh this summer, and Vîrlan came right before preseason.
• Garibaldi hails from Argentina, Vîrlan is from Romania while Jones (Washington, D.C.), Meyer (Nebraska) and Dinn (Kentucky) come to Pittsburgh from the States.
• Pitt also recently signed senior transfer setter, Nisa Buzlutepe, from Istanbul, Turkey.
• She has one year of eligibility remaining after playing three seasons at Texas A&M.
PANTHERS ARE HOT
• Pitt is coming off three straight Final Fours, back-to-back ACC Championships and eight consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
• The Panthers are the only team in the last three years to appear in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Final Fours and one of three to compete in the last four Elite Eights.
DYNAMIC DUO RETURNS
• Olivia Babcock and Torrey Stafford return for their sophomore year in the blue and gold.
• The two combined for 792 kills, 361 digs, 198 blocks and 66 aces last season.
• The duo started every match throughout the season alongside senior libero Emmy Klika.
FAMILY TIES
• Freshman middle blocker Ryla Jones has deep ties to the game as her sister, Rainelle Jones, played volleyball for the University of Maryland and her twin sister, Renee, is committed to play at the University of Arizona.
• Rainelle is currently first in program history in career total blocks and block assists at Maryland.
• Jones comes from an athletic family as her dad (basketball - University of Maryland), mom (basketball - University of Winnipeg), brother (basketball - Florida Southwestern), sister (rowing - Drexel) also all play or have played Division I sports.
INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE
• The 2024 team boasts four international student-athletes, including sixth year Puerto Rican Valeria Vazquez Gomez, senior Turkish setter Nisa Buzlutepe, Argentinian freshman Bianca Garibaldi and Romanian newcomer Dalia Vîrlan.
• Vazquez Gomez, Garibaldi and Vîrlan have National Team experience and look to make an impact at the net.
