No. 1 Panthers Drop First Match to No. 15 SMU in Five Sets

Box Score

DALLAS – The No. 1 Pitt volleyball team (15-1, 5-1 ACC) dropped its first match of the season in a five-set battle (25-19, 22-25, 25-13, 23-25, 9-15) against No. 15 SMU (13-4, 5-1 ACC) on Saturday afternoon in Moody Coliseum. Torrey Stafford led the Panthers with 17 kills and added six digs. 

The Panthers held a narrow lead throughout the beginning of the first set, culminating in a 10-6 advantage and brought a 15-12 lead into the media timeout. Valeria Vazquez Gomez recorded a kill, and Dillyn Griffin notched an ace to force SMU to take its first timeout, down 13-17. Both teams continued to battle, but the Panthers need a timeout of their own at 20-18 after getting aced two consecutive times. Pitt rebounded nicely and a kill by Ryla Jones, Stafford and an unforced error from the Mustangs forced SMU to take its second timeout, holding a 23-19 lead. A SMU error and a kill from Olivia Babcock was enough for Pitt to win the first set, 25-19.

Neither team could find separation in the second set, resulting in a media timeout with SMU holding a slight 15-12 advantage. The Panthers were able to tie things up at 18-18 and forced the Mustangs to take the first timeout of the second frame. Pitt needed to talk things over after a 3-0 run from SMU shortly after. Despite a trio of kills from Babcock and Stafford, the Panthers were unable to come back and dropped the second set, 22-25.

After losing only its second set of the year, the Panthers responded in dominant fashion. Cat Flood went on a 4-0 run behind the service line, and three consecutive kills from Stafford made SMU take a timeout, down 4-9. Flood continue to put the pressure on the Mustangs and fired off another three points. SMU continued to fight, and Pitt took a timeout up 18-9. A tough Panther defense caused woes for SMU at the net for the remainder of the set, and Pitt was able to comfortably clinch the third set, 25-13. Stafford notched six kills in the frame, hitting .500.

The Mustangs came out hot in the fourth set and made Pitt take an early timeout, down 1-5. SMU held a 10-4 lead, but a 4-0 run from Pitt and Dillyn Griffin forced the Mustangs to take a timeout. The Panthers tied it up at 14-14, but a 7-4 run in favor of SMU gave the Mustangs a 21-18 advantage….