Pitt Falls to Nebraska in National Semifinals

TAMPA –The No. 1 seed University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (29-5, 16-2 ACC) fell to the No. 1 overall seed Nebraska (33-1, 19-1 Big Ten) in three sets at the Amalie Arena on Thursday night. Olivia Babcock led the Panthers with 12 kills while Rachel Fairbanks recorded 29 assists. The Panthers end their season with three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals.

Both teams came out of the gate competing, as the Panthers and Huskers were tied 9-9 early in the first set. A 6-3 Husker run allowed Nebraska to take a 15-12 lead going into the media timeout. Torrey Stafford and Babcock recorded a kill a piece to bring the score within one, but a 4-1 run from Nebraska behind a pair of attack errors forced Pitt to take a timeout, down 15-19. The Panthers could not close the gap as they called their second timeout, down 17-22. Valeria Vazquez Gomez and Stafford recorded a kill, but it was not enough as Nebraska won the first set, 25-20.

Like set one, Nebraska and Pitt began set two tied at 4-4, however, a 5-1 Husker run caused Pitt to take its first timeout. The Huskers rattled off a few more points, but a pair of Pitt points forced Nebraska to take a timeout, with the Huskers up 15-11. The Panthers sided out at a high rate but couldn’t go on a run as Pitt took its second timeout at 19-15. The Panthers did not go away, as a 3-0 run behind kills from Babcock and Fairbanks and a Husker hitting error forced Nebraska to take a timeout. Despite getting to the 23-point mark, a Pitt service error allowed Nebraska to secure the second set, 25-23. 

Neither team held more than a one-point lead until Nebraska held an 8-6 advantage. Chiamaka Nwokolo and Vazquez Gomez continued to fight, earning kills for the Panthers, but Nebraska forced Pitt to take a timeout, down 10-17. The Huskers got up 24-14, but a kill from Emma Monks and Babcock caused Nebraska to take a timeout. Nebraska sided out the following point and took the match, 3-0.

NOTES

–    Olivia Babcock led the team with 12 kills, one behind the match high 

–    Rachel Fairbanks was one dig shy of a double-double with 29 assists and nine digs

–    Olivia Babcock is now first in program history for most aces (11) third in kills (71), third in…