NCAA Womens Volleyball

No. 1 Panthers Open ACC Play with Sweep of Clemson

Georgia Tech

CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 1 University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (11-0, 1-0 ACC) defeated Clemson (8-4, 0-1 ACC) Friday night at Jervey Gym in straight sets for the 11th win and sweep of the season. Torrey Stafford and Olivia Babcock combined for 25 of Pitt’s 38 kills, and Rachel Fairbanks recorded a double-double with 27 assists and 10 digs. 

The Panthers jumped out to an early 10-5 lead; however, Clemson went on an 8-4 run as the Tiger’s offense came alive and forced Pitt to take a timeout, with a narrow lead of 14-13. Pitt responded well out of the break as Stafford, Babcock and Bre Kelley recorded a kill, and Babcock notched an ace to cause Clemson to take its second timeout, down 15-18. Three attack errors and an efficient Pitt offense was enough to take the first set, 25-21. This marks only the sixth set this season a team has reached the 20-point mark. 

Pitt stepped on the gas at the beginning of set one, getting out to an early 5-0 lead behind an impressive service run from Valeria Vazquez Gomez, and Clemson had no choice but to call a timeout. The Tigers’ attempt to narrow the lead was unsuccessful and had to take another timeout, down 8-16. Six Panther kills and three Clemson attack errors down the stretch allowed Pitt to take the second set, 25-15. 

Pitt began the third set in similar fashion as it got out to a 4-0 lead behind the serve of Fairbanks, forcing Clemson to take a timeout. The Panthers strung together another two…

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