PITTSBURGH — Pitt volleyball faced a tough rematch against Miami, but dominated throughout, sweeping their ACC foe at Fitzgerald Field House Wednesday night.
The Panthers (24-4 overall, 15-2 ACC) defeat the Hurricanes (17-10 overall, 10-7 ACC) for the second time this season, doing so in four sets on the road on Nov. 5. They also improve their record in the all-time series to 15-4 against the Hurricanes, making this is the 12th win in a row since 2015. The Panthers are also currently level with the No. 23 Florida State Seminoles at the top of the ACC.
Both teams traded points back and forth to start the first set, before Pitt went on a 9-2 run to take a 17-10 lead. Miami would score three straight points to cut it within four, but Pitt finished off the set on an 8-2 run, 25-15.
The Panthers and Hurricanes both fought for momentum in the second set, but found themselves level at 20-20. First-year right side hitter Olivia Babcock would lead the Panthers to a set victory, scoring the final three points on two kills and a service ace, 25-21.
Pitt had no trouble with Miami in the third set, holding them to .120 hitting and building leads of 10-5, 15-7, 20-9 and winning the set 25-12 for the sweep.
Babcock led Pitt volleyball with 15 kills, three service aces and a .520 hitting percentage. She also made six digs, third best on the team with junior libero/defensive specialist Emmy Klika, and three blocks as well.
Redshirt senior Valeria Vazquez Gomez demonstrated her versatility in the win over the Hurricanes. She finished second on the team with 12 kills and eight digs, while also providing three blocks.
First-year outside hitter Torrey Stafford finished first on the Panthers with nine digs, while junior setter Rachel Fairbanks made a team-high 33 assists.
Graduate middle blocker Emma Monks led Pitt with seven total blocks, including two solo blocks, her fourth match this season with multiple solo blocks. Monks credited the pin hitters for setting up the blocks well and that the team executed the game plan to earn the win.
“Definitely coming off a lot of confidence in our last win, but I also think we came in and we were really prepared and the day before Thanksgiving, we were really checked in, Monks said on the victory”
The Panthers dominated Miami on the service line, tying their season high of nine service aces, which they set in the reverse sweep of Georgia Tech on Oct. 6. Serve specialists in senior outside hitter Cat Flood and sophomore libero/defensive specialist Dillyn Griffin each had two service aces, Fairbanks and Vazquez Gomez had one, while Babcock led the way with her three.
“We always want to get better,” Pitt head coach Dan Fisher said on his team’s serving. “So I have a tendency to see all the serves I don’t like, but I really like, I mean Dillyn’s been really, it’s not just one game, she’s been giving us a lift as well and Cat as well. So that’s something that’s going to matter going into the [NCAA] Tournament.
Pitt volleyball will face Syracuse on the road in the regular season finale Friday night at 6 p.m. A win for Pitt will ensure at least a share of the ACC Title for the second straight season.
