CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Louisville is headed to the NCAA Volleyball Championship title game for the second time in program history.
The Cardinals took down the No. 1 Pitt Panthers, 3-1, to earn a spot in the 2024 NCAA Championship title match for the first time since 2019. The Cardinals are the only ACC team to play in the championship match while a member of the conference.
Louisville will take on the winner of Penn State vs. Nebraska on Sunday, December 22, at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Panthers took the first set 25-21 before the Cardinals came back to win the second 25-23. In the third set, the Panthers and Cardinals took it beyond 25 points before Louisville secured the 29-27 set win. Louisville finished strong in the fourth and final set, taking down the No. 1 team in the nation 25-17 for the 3-1 match win.
The Cardinals’ offense was led by Anna DeBeer, Charitie Luper and Sofia Maldonado Diaz, who recorded 14 kills apiece, while ACC Freshman of the Year Nayelis Cabello recorded 44 assists. Elena Scott, Cara Cresse and PK Kong anchored the Louisville defense as Scott dug up 14 balls while Cresse and Kong combined for 10 blocks.
Olivia Babcock paced the Panthers with a match-high 33 kills, while hitting .385. It was the most kills in an NCAA semifinal match since Cincinatti’s Jordan Thompson recorded 50 in 2019.
ACC champion Pitt closed out a remarkable season, finishing 33-2 overall and 19-1 in conference play. Led by 2024 AVCA Division I Coach of the Year Dan Fisher, the Panthers earned the No. 1 overall seed in the national tournament for the first time in program history before defeating Morehead State, Oklahoma, Oregon and Kentucky to clinch a spot in the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year.
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