University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
29-4,18-2ACC
#17 Minnesota
24-10,12-8Big Ten
Pitt Sweeps No. 17 Minnesota to Advance to Sixth Straight Regional Final
12/11/2025 8:11:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 1 seeded Pitt volleyball team (29-4, 18-2 ACC) advances to its sixth straight Regional Final on Saturday as the Panthers rolled past No. 4 seeded Minnesota (24-10, 12-8 Big Ten), 25-16, 25-23, 25-22, Thursday night in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Olivia Babcock led the match with 19 kills, and Bre Kelley recorded eight kills on 10 swings for a blistering .800 hitting efficiency.
Playing in front of the hometown fans, Pitt jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the opening set and never trailed. Minnesota did get within two on a pair of occasions, but the Panthers finished on an 11-4 run and took the opening stanza, 25-16. Kelley and Babcock combined for nine of Pitt's 13 kills in the frame.
In the second set, neither team led by more than two points until the Panthers used a 5-1 run to go ahead 19-16. Minnesota clawed back to tie the score at 23-23, forcing a Pitt timeout. Following the break, Marina Pezelj had a kill, and Blaire Bayless and Abbey Emch combined on a block for the 25-23 Panther win.
With the third set knotted at 9-9, Pitt scored three straight, and Minnesota burned a timeout. The Golden Gophers wouldn't let the Panthers extend the lead and Minnesota put together a 7-2 run to lead 21-19. Pitt used a momentum shifting scramble to force an attack error and tie the set at 21-21. That play propelled the Panthers forward to the 25-22 victory.
With the win, Pitt improves to 29-4 and will host the winner of Purdue vs. SMU Saturday night at the Petersen Events Center at 7:30 p.m. with a trip to its fifth consecutive Final Four on the line.
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