No. 7 Panthers Visit No. 8 Yellow Jackets on Friday

PITTSBURGH – The No. 7 Pitt volleyball team (21-4, 12-2 ACC) travels to Atlanta this Friday to play No. 8 Georgia Tech (21-3, 12-2 ACC). First serve is at 5 p.m. and can be streamed on ACC Network. 

The Panthers lead the series against Georgia Tech 13-2 and have won three straight matches. Most recently, Pitt defeated the Yellow Jackets at the Fitzgerald Field House in early October. The Panthers saw themselves down 0-2 and were able to complete the reverse sweep to take the win, 3-2. Freshman Olivia Babcock recorded a career-high 19 kills, along with six digs, five blocks and three aces. The Panthers held Georgia Tech to a .167 hitting percentage and out blocked them 14-6. 

Valeria Vazquez Gomez registered a career-high 22 kills against the Yellow Jackets in 2022 in a dramatic five set victory. 

PITT UPENDS “THE U”

• The Panthers defeated Miami 3-1 in closely contested sets on Sunday.

• Rachel Fairbanks registered a career-high 48 assists in the match and led Pitt to 55 kills. 

• Olivia Babcock was one off her career-high, notching 18 kills along with a career-high four aces and eight digs. 

VVG IS BACK!

• The 2022 AVCA Second Team All-American has announced that she will return next season for her final year of eligibility.

• Vazquez Gomez is currently second in digs and aces and third in kills.

• She has totaled 789 kills, 745 digs, 82 aces and 80 assists. 

GRITTY PANTHERS

• The Panthers are currently third in the nation in opponent hitting percentage, holding teams 

to an average .138.

• The combination of Pitt’s block and backcourt defense has been tough to stop this season, and it has held 11 opponents to less than a .100 hitting percentage.

 

DUAL THREAT

• Emma Monks and Chiamaka Nwokolo impress defensively, but they are currently top 15 in the 

nation in hitting efficiency.

• Nwokolo sits at third with a .449 clip while Monks is 15th with a .414 percentage. 

BLOCK PARTY

• The Pitt Panthers are currently first in the nation in blocks per set (3.05).

• Chiamaka Nwokolo, Rachel Jepsen, Olivia Babcock and Emma Monks have all registered at least six blocks in a match so far this season. 

• Emma Monks is currently fourth in the nation in blocks per set (1.54) while Chiamaka…