PITTSBURGH – The No. 10 Pitt volleyball team (29-1, 17-1 ACC) secured its third unbeaten home regular season in program history with a sweep of Georgia Tech (17-13, 6-11 ACC) in the Panthers' first ever match played at Petersen Events Center Wednesday night.
UNDEFEATED AT HOME.
— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB) November 22, 2018
1️⃣8️⃣-0️⃣.
That's the third unbeaten home season in program history (1987: 16-0; 1975: 13-0).#OwnIt • #H2P pic.twitter.com/QMThNPfxXk
As an automatic qualifier to the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament by securing the ACC Championship, Pitt awaits seeding, announced Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
The Panthers made quick work of the Yellow Jackets, winning 25-19, 25-18, 25-10, in front of a crowd of 2,898 on Thanksgiving Eve at Petersen Events Center.
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Junior right side Nike Markovic led Pitt with 12 kills on .409 attacking. She added seven digs and two blocks. Classmate Layne Van Buskirk recorded a .667 outing with 10 kills and zero errors on 15 attacks from the middle. Sophomore middle Chinaza Ndee had a match-high five blocks to go along with seven kills, and classmate outside Kayla Lund produced seven kills, six digs and five assists.
Redshirt senior libero Angela Seman had a team-high eight digs. Redshirt sophomore setter Kylee Levers posted 19 assists, and senior setter Kamalani Akeo added 17 assists to go along with eight digs.
The Panthers recorded their best attacking percentage (.415) since previously facing Georgia Tech Nov. 2 in Atlanta (.429). Pitt had the advantage across the board in kills (47-29), assists (45-29), service aces (5-0), digs (35-29) and blocks (8.0-1.0). The Panthers held the Yellow Jackets to just .149 attacking.
🎶SO LET'S GET A PARTY GOING🎶#OwnIt • #H2P pic.twitter.com/L5qVhgb65W
— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB) November 21, 2018
WITH THE WIN…
- Pitt earned its most wins in a season (29) since the Panthers went 32-6 (7-0) in 1990, winning both the Big East Regular Season and Big East Tournament Championships.
- The Panthers earned their most wins in a season under sixth-year head coach Dan Fisher (29).
- Pitt secured its highest regular season winning percentage in program history at .967 (29-1).
- The Panthers secured their highest ACC season winning percentage in program history at .944 (17-1).
- Pitt recorded its fewest regular-season losses in program history (29-1; previous record: 18-2, 1975).
- The Panthers improved their 2018 home record to 18-0, and 9-0 against ACC opponents.
- Pitt secured its third unbeaten home regular season in program history (18-0), and its first since going 16-0 in 1987. The Panthers' only other unbeaten home season was in 1975 (13-0).
- The Panthers extended their win streak against the Yellow Jackets to eight matches. Pitt won the teams' previous meeting this season, 3-0, at in Atlanta (Nov. 2).
- Pitt improved its all-time record against Georgia Tech to 8-1 overall and 4-0 when playing in Pittsburgh.
Set One: No. 10 Pitt 25, Georgia Tech 19
After two early ties, the latest at 5-5, Pitt used a 4-0 run to gain a 9-5 lead. The Yellow Jackets came as close as within one point, down 14-13, but another 3-0 run by the Panthers kept them at bay. Pitt ended the frame with a Willams ace, picking up a 25-19 win.
Pitt hit .282 in the set, led by five kills from Markovic.
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Set Two: No. 10 Pitt 25, Georgia Tech 18
Pitt earned a 7-4 lead following a 3-0 run. The Yellow Jackets cut their deficit to just one point (10-9), following a 3-0 run, but the Panthers responded with a 3-0 run of their own to make it 14-0. Georgia Tech came within one point again (16-15), but the Panthers held on with a 6-1 run to close the set and win, 25-18.
Markovic contributed five kills in the set, followed by Ndee with four. The Panthers recorded an attacking percentage of .414 with 16 kills on 29 attempts with just four errors.
Set Three: No. 10 Pitt 25, Georgia Tech 10
The Panthers kicked off the third set with a 3-0 run and never looked back. Pitt ended the match outscoring the Yellow Jackets 11-3, with a decisive 25-10 win.
Pitt hit an impressive .615 in the frame, with 16 kills, zero errors on 26 attempts. The Panthers held Georgia Tech to .043 attacking, with just seven kills.
LE'TS DANCE.💃@ACCVolleyball Champion No. 10 Pitt closes the regular season at 29-1, 17-1.
— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB) November 22, 2018
Next up: we learn our @NCAAVolleyball Tournament seed Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU.#OwnIt • #H2P pic.twitter.com/fXKe71BdAr
UP NEXT
- Holding an automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Tournament, the No. 10 Panthers will learn their seeding and first round competition during the NCAA Selection Show, set for 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPNU.
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