PITTSBURGH — No. 1 Pitt Volleyball handled Coppin State in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night at the Petersen Events Center, sweeping them in three straight sets.
The Panthers (26-4) make it eight straight wins in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament since 2016, all under head coach Dan Fisher. This is also the eighth straight win in the Petersen Events Center for the Panthers dating back to 2021 and the fifth straight win in the facility in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament dating back to 2018.
Pitt fell behind in the first set 6-2, with Coppin State opposite hitter/middle blocker Laila Ibrahim making two kills. Despite the poor start, Pitt would bounce back, going on a 10-3 run to take a 13-9 lead.
The Eagles scored the next three points to get it back within one, but the Panthers scored the next six points to take a 19-12 lead, with two kills from graduate student middle blocker Emma Monks leading the way. The Panthers finished off the set soon after with a 25-18 victory.
Pitt would dominate to begin the second set, taking a 10-2 lead, with first-year right side hitter Olivia Babcock and redshirt senior outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez both making two kills on the run.
The Panthers would increase their advantage throughout the rest of the set, trading point to both 15-7 and 20-12 leads. First-year outside hitter Blaire Bayless came off the bench and made three kills on a 4-0 scoring run to win the set 25-14.
Pitt demolished Coppin State in the third set, building leads of 5-1, 10-4 and then going on a 10-1 run to take a 20-5 lead. Pitt would win the third set and sweep Coppin State with two kills late from first-year outside hitter Torrey Stafford.
“I thought we were a little too high aired offensively to start the match,” Fisher said. “What I liked is that we got better throughout the match, both offensively and defensively and I think by the third set, we looked a little more like us….Happy to be advancing to the round of 32.”
Torrey Stafford finished with a double-double in her first NCAA Tournament match, becoming the 12th player in program history to record one. She had 11 kills and 12 digs, both second best on Pitt, lead with a .550 hitting percentage.
Torrey Stafford faced off against her sister on Coppin State, sophomore outside hitter TaKenya Stafford, making for a sister showdown at the Petersen Events Center.
“Bittersweet,” Takenya Stafford said on facing her sister. “I think once the game started, she’s just another opponent, but before the game, when they’re announcing us, it was kind of like, “Aw.” But then it was like, “Okay let’s play.” Bittersweet.”
Junior setter Rachel Fairbanks led with 36 assists, eighth most for Pitt in an NCAA tournament match, while also finishing second with four total blocks.
Graduate student middle blockers in Emma Monks and Chiamaka Nwokolo both played well with the Panthers in the win over the Eagles. Monks finished with a .545 hitting percentage, second best, along with seven kills and three total blocks, while Nwokolo led the Panthers with five total blocks.
Pitt volleyball also held Coppin State to -.099 hitting percentage, their best defensive effort of the season. It is the worst opponent hitting percentage against Pitt in the NCAA Tournament and also the third lowest against Fisher in his 11 seasons as head coach.
Junior libero/defensive specialist Emmy Klika led with 14 digs, something that Fisher gave credit to in Pitt’s defensive performance on the night.
“Well, Emmy was a big part of it. I thought we also blocked pretty well in zone four. I know that they’re usually in a 6-2 and this was a new lineup for them. So I think they were probably sorting that out. We felt like we had a defensive advantage going in and think we showed that more as the match went on.”
Pitt Volleyball will face No. 8 USC in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday night at 7 p.m. USC swept UMBC earlier Friday afternoon. The winner moves on to the Sweet 16.
