No. 7 Panthers Take on No. 4 Louisville in Final Four Rematch

PITTSBURGH – The No. 7 Pitt volleyball team (22-4, 13-2 ACC) is set to host No. 4 Louisville (23-3, 14-2 ACC) at the Petersen Events Center on Saturday. First serve is set for 1 p.m. and can be streamed on ACCNX. The Panthers trail the all-time series against Louisville, 14-20 and have lost the last three matches. Pitt and Louisville both won at home to go 1-1 in the 2022 regular season. The two ACC rivals met in the Final Four last season, but Pitt lost a heartbreaker in five sets. 

Earlier this year the Cardinals defeated Pitt in three sets at the KFC Yum! Center. The Panthers look to return the favor on Saturday. Freshman Torrey Stafford led the charge against Louisville earlier this season, recording 10 kills, four digs and two blocks while hitting .261. 

BIG-TIME BABCOCK

• Freshman Olivia Babcock earned her first AVCA Player of the Week on Tuesday after notching 15 kills on a .652 hitting percentage against then No. 8 Georgia Tech.

• This is first time a Panther has earned the award since Kayla Lund did so in 2021.

DYNAMIC DUO

• Rachel Fairbanks and Olivia Babcock were named ACC Setter and Offensive Player of the week, respectively, on Monday. 

• This is Rachel’s third conference award this season and Olivia’s sixth.

TOP 10 SMACKDOWN

• No. 7 Pitt dominated against then No. 8 Georgia Tech last weekend, hitting .440 in the match.

• Olivia Babcock recorded 15 kills on a career-high .652 hitting percentage.

• Rachel Fairbanks recorded a match-high 33 assists and eight digs along with two kills and a block.

GRITTY PANTHERS

• The Panthers are currently second in the nation in opponent hitting percentage, holding teams to an average of .135. 

• The combination of Pitt’s block and back court defense has been tough to stop this season, and it has held 12 opponents to less than a .100 hitting percentage. 

DUAL THREAT

• The Panthers impress defensively, but they are also currently fifth in the nation in hitting efficiency (.307)

• Monks sits at ninth in the nation with a .426 clip while Nwokolo is hitting .428 on the season. 

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…