PITTSBURGH – Behind 10 kills and a match-high nine digs from Torrey Stafford, the No. 1-seeded Pitt volleyball team swept No. 8-seeded Oklahoma (28-26, 25-21, 25-19) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday night at the Petersen Events Center. The win marks the fifth straight season the Panthers have advanced to the Regional Semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament.
Pitt (31-1, 19-1 ACC) opened the match with an early 10-5 lead over the Sooners (15-11, 8-8 SEC), spurred by two Stafford kills. Pitt extended its early lead to 19-13, before Oklahoma broke out on a 6-1 run to reach within one point of the Panthers. Kills from Ryla Jones and Olivia Babcock helped Pitt establish a 24-22 lead and earn the Panthers their first match point, however, the Sooners scored three straight points to take their first lead of the game at 25-24. Pitt rallied behind kills from Stafford and Valeria Vazquez Gomez and a block by Bre Kelley and Rachel Fairbanks to take set one, 28-26.
The Panthers trailed Oklahoma 6-4 early in the second set before erupting for a 6-1 run to take a 10-7 lead. Oklahoma used a 5-2 spurt to knot the game at 13-13 before three consecutive kills, two from Stafford and one from Babcock, helped Pitt retake the lead. The Panthers outscored the Sooners 8-4 down the stretch to reach match point at 24-21, where a scorching Babcock kill sealed the second set for Pitt, 25-21.
Kelley, who had six kills on .545 hitting in the match, started the third set with a kill off of a Fairbanks assist. Oklahoma responded, going on a 5-2 tilt to establish a 5-3 lead in the set. Both teams traded kills and errors, and were tied at 8-8, 10-10 and 13-13 before the Panthers ripped off a signature 5-0 run, sparked by kills from Babcock and Stafford, to take a 18-13 lead. Pitt’s offensive attack featured two Vazquez Gomez kills in the waning points of the set to take the third frame 25-19.
Pitt will face No. 4-seeded Oregon in the Regional Semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at the Petersen Events Center. The game’s time has not been announced yet.
Notes
• With the win, Pitt has now reached the Regional Semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-straight season.
• Torrey Stafford had a match-high nine digs and was supported on defense by Emmy Klika, who had eight.
• Olivia Babcock had a match-high 13 kills while Valeria Vazquez Gomez and Torrey Stafford each had 10.
• Babcock had a match-high 17 points
• Rachel Fairbanks dished out a match-high 36 assists and had two kills on .667 hitting.
Source: Pitt Athletics/pittsburghpanthers.com
