PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt women’s volleyball earned its way to a sixth consecutive regional final (Elite 8) with a 3-0 win (25-16, 25-23, 25-22) over 4th-seeded Minnesota. Reigning National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock led the Panthers with a match-high 19 kills.
“They pushed us,” said Pitt head coach Dan Fisher. “They made us uncomfortable. We weren’t quite as aggressive offensively as we normally are, but we found a way and grateful to still be dancing.”
Babcock hit. 366 and added eight digs, three blocks and two assists, but it wasn’t just her. Some timely kills by Blaire Bayless, finishing with eight, six digs and a block to end the second set.
“I feel like I say the same thing about Blaire every single press conference, no matter what happens she finds a way to hit .250-plus and come up a couple kills a set,” Fisher said. “And it seems like one or two of them is just a huge kill when needed in a big moment. I think her mark on this team this year is just her consistency.”
Senior middle Bre Kelley had eight kills on 10 attempts.
“Over this entire year, Brooke and Fish and I, we’ve been working on putting me in situations off the net, not just on perfect balls,” Kelley said. “I think that showed a lot tonight.”
Freshman Marina Pezelj had seven kills and 10 digs. Senior setter Brooke Mosher 35 assists, seven digs and a pair of service aces.
Rallying point
Trailing late in the third set, Minnesota three times nearly made it 22-20, but diving save attempts by Mosher, freshmen Izzy Masten and Pezelj got the ball over and the Panthers would win the point on a Golden Gophers error to tie it at 21.
“I feel that one thing we felt was off today was our vibe,” Babcock said. “I just feel like making a big play at such a big moment because we want to focus on being good after 20. It was definitely a momentum shift. I feel like after that play was made, I was pretty confident we are going to be fine. We are going to be able to pull this out.”
Domination
Over the span of the half-dozen consecutive seasons in the Elite 8, Pitt has dropped two sets over those 12 matches. Panthers also haven’t lost a set since a win at Cal on November 16.
“I think we are really battle-tested," Babcock said. "In no way does it feel like we swept our way through. All of these teams are playing their hardest and if you look at the scores, it’s not like we are blowing teams out. It’s sets that could really go either way, I feel like it’s really testing us about how we can play at the end. I think that’s something that is going to be really important in these next three rounds.”
Regional Final
Panthers will play Purdue in the regional final Saturday at 7:30p at the Petersen Events Center after the Boilermakers beat SMU 3-1 (29-27 in the 4th set).