MALIBU, Calif. – The No. 1 University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (6-0, 0-0 ACC) completed its sixth straight sweep against UCSB (2-7, 0-0 Big West) on Saturday afternoon. Blaire Bayless and Nisa Buzlutepe earned their first start of the season, and Olivia Babcock and Valeria Vazquez Gomez combined for 27 of Pitt’s 40 kills to pace the Panthers.
Once again, the Panthers played it tight at the beginning of the set, going back and forth with UCSB as Pitt held a narrow 6-5 lead. The Panthers responded well, going on an 8-3 run behind four Vazquez Gomez kills to force a Gauchos timeout at 14-8. Pitt kept on the gas as Cat Flood led another service run, leading UCSB to take its final timeout, down 11-19. A kill from four different Panthers and a Babcock ace secured the first set win, 25-16.
Flood continued to put the pressure on the Gauchos and went on an early 5-0 run to force UCSB to take a timeout at 8-3. The Gauchos attempted to go on a run, but Pitt’s efficient side out percentage and a pair of Bayless kills cause UCSB to take its second timeout, down 6-14. An ace from Buzlutepe and Mallorie Meyer and an efficient attack allowed the Panthers to win the second set, 25-17.
The Gauchos got off to a hot start in set three, going on a 3-0 run. Pitt took a timeout shortly after. The Panthers tied it up at 5-5 and then again at 10-10. A 5-3 run from Pitt caused UCSB to take a timeout at 15-13. The Panthers proceeded to extend their lead to 17-14, but a 3-0 run from the Gauchos forced a Pitt timeout. Babcock terminated on four of the following five points as UCSB took a timeout at 21-18. Another two kills from Babcock and two attack errors from the Gauchos allowed for Pitt to take the third set, 25-19, and match, 3-0.
NOTES
– This marked Babcock’s third straight match of recording at least 14 kills
– Buzlutepe registered 31 assists and five digs, guiding the Panthers to a .373 hitting percentage
– Vazquez Gomez recorded 12 kills, hitting .409 and added four digs
– Flood and Babcock registered a pair of aces for the second straight match
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The No. 1 Panthers return to Pittsburgh to play rival and No. 3 Penn State at the Petersen Events Center on Wednesday, Sept. 18. First serve is at 7 p.m. ET…
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