Pitt volleyball flew out to Los Angeles ranked as the No. 1 team in the country and didn’t just survive the first test but excelled.
Pitt swept USC Wednesday night at the Galen Center, 31-29, 25-18, 25-16, in a thoroughly impressive showing against a top-25 team in the country. The Trojans are the second ranked Big Ten opponent the Panthers have swept this season.
It wasn’t even the sharpest showing from the Panthers either, hitting just .289%. But Pitt racked up more kills (49), assists (44), aces (5), blocks (8) and digs (44) in a winning effort.
Pitt had to battle in the first set. It took eight combined set points before a Valeria Vazquez Gomez ace clinched a 31-29 first set win.
Pitt earned the first set point via an error by USC’s Adonia Faumuina, but the two Panthers and Trojans went back and forth to hit 25-25, 26-26, 27-27, 28-28 and 29-29 before a USC service error gave Vazquez Gomez a chance for an ace of her own.
It wasn’t as close in the second set. Despite USC taking an early 9-8 lead courtesy of a kill from Anyawu Favor, taking the lead for the third straight point, the Trojans weren’t able to capitalize. Pitt took five of the next six points to take a 14-10 lead and didn’t look back.
Babcock was unstoppable in the second set, recording eight kills — including the first three of the set. But it was a Torrey Stafford kill that clinched a 25-18 second set win.
USC took the first point of the third set, but Pitt rebounded to take an early 3-1 lead. Two Babcock aces, and two USC service errors, stretched the lead to 8-4, and while the Trojans turned a 15-8 Pitt lead into an eventual one-point deficit, the Panthers wouldn’t be denied.
Pitt earned the next nine points, stretching a 16-15 lead to a 24-15 match point. A kill from USC’s Tyrah Ariail staved off one match point, but a Ryla Jones kill ended it. 25-16. Match win.
Babcock was dynamic in attack, leading the way with a match-high 17 kills while hitting .250%. She led the Panthers with 20.5 points, adding an ace and five blocks. Stafford was ultra-efficient, hitting .375% while adding 13 kills, an ace and a team-high seven blocks.
Rachel Fairbanks once again performed as an elite setter, serving up a match-high 38 assists. She hit .250% and racked up eight digs.
Pitt will remain on the West Coast, traveling to Malibu, Cal. for matches against Pepperdine on Friday and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. The next home match will be a massive in-state clash against No. 3 Penn State on Wednesday.
They are incredible. Coaching staff is incredible. Praying they stay injury-free for once.