CHICAGO, ILL. –The No. 9 University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (6-1, 0-0 ACC) continued its hot streak against Loyola Chicago (2-6, 0-0 Atlantic 10), sweeping the Ramblers 3-0 Sunday afternoon. Freshman right side Olivia Babcock paced the Panthers with 12 kills while graduate middle blocker Chiamaka Nwokolo registered a team-high six blocks.
The Panthers took charge from the beginning of the first set, getting out to dominant 14-3 lead early behind two five-point scoring runs from Valeria Vazquez Gomez and Emma Monks. Pitt would never give up their lead, winning the first set 25-14. The tough Pitt block caused Loyola Chicago to hit negative .133 with 13 hitting errors in the first set. Babcock killed five balls and recorded three blocks, hitting .625.
The second set was much more competitive, as the Ramblers went point-for-point until the score was 11-11. Three Loyola Chicago errors and a Babcock ace pushed the Panther lead to three at 17-13. Three straight Rambler kills caused Pitt to call a timeout at 18-16 with the Panthers up two. Pitt’s pin hitters delivered at the end of the second, as Babcock, Vazquez Gomez and Torrey Stafford all recorded kills to capture the 25-22 second set win.
Pitt came out of the break strong, getting off to yet another early start, pushing the lead to 10-7. Junior Julianna Dalton registered an immediate kill in the third set at 13-8. A Loyola Chicago hitting error caused Pitt to get out to a 14-9 lead. An 11-7 Panther run was enough to easily take the third set, 25-16 and match, 3-0.
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The No. 9 Panthers will return home to play three matches at the Fitzgerald Field House next week. Pitt will play No. 6 Oregon on Thursday, James Madison on Saturday and will wrap up the weekend against High Point on Sunday. Thursday and Saturday’s matches will begin at 7 p.m., and the first whistle on Sunday is set for 1 p.m.
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