Pitt Volleyball Advances to Elite Eight for the Fifth Consecutive Year

Pitt Volleyball has cemented itself as an elite sport at the university. The team proved its mettle once again by defeating Oregon Ducks in a thrilling five-set match, securing a spot in the Elite Eight for the fifth year in a row.

Resilience in the NCAA Tournament

“This is the NCAA Tournament,” said head coach Dan Fisher. “It’s going to be tough. Sometimes things won’t go our way, and you need an incredible level of persistence to keep pushing through those moments.”

Sophomore opposite hitter Olivia Babcock delivered a career-high performance with 69 attack attempts, converting an impressive 31 kills with a.290 hitting percentage. Her 31 kills set a Pitt NCAA Tournament record and tied for the seventh-most in program history for any match.

“We’re a team of many great players, and when Liv steps up, nothing can stop us,” said senior setter Rachel Fairbanks, who also shone with 54 assists, the second-most in Pitt NCAA Tournament history.

Set-by-Set Breakdown

Set One: Dominant Start

Pitt began strong, taking a quick 13-6 lead and maintaining control despite a brief rally by Oregon. Babcock led the way with seven kills, including one from her knees, as Pitt won the set 25-19.

Defensively, Pitt limited Oregon to a.069 hitting percentage while posting a solid.294 themselves. It was a sharp improvement over their previous matches in the tournament.

Set Two: Oregon Responds

Oregon surged ahead early with a 4-0 start and extended their lead to 18-13. Pitt battled back with an 11-5 run, taking their first lead at 24-23. However, Oregon narrowly claimed the set 26-24.

Service reception was a challenge for Pitt, who allowed four aces, and their hitting percentage dipped to.149. Oregon improved slightly, hitting 111 .

Set Three: Pitt Dominates

After trailing 7-4, Fisher called a timeout, sparking a 14-4 run that flipped the momentum. Babcock and junior middle blocker Bre Kelley combined for 13 kills in the set.

Pitt hit a blistering.464, their best of the postseason, and closed out the set 25-16, despite Oregon’s respectable. 269 hitting percentage.

Set Four: Oregon Strikes Back

Oregon overwhelmed Pitt early, taking a commanding 17-6 lead. Though Pitt clawed back to 23-20, the deficit proved insurmountable as Oregon took the set 25-21.

Pitt’s offensive struggles were evident with a mere.001 hitting percentage, compared to Oregon’s improved.261 .

Set Five: A Gritty Finish

Pitt came out firing with a 5-0 run, powered by Babcock and graduate outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez. Oregon rallied to tie the set at 8-8, but Babcock took control with back-to-back kills, forcing Oregon to use their final timeout.

Babcock added her 30th kill and a service ace from Fairbanks brought Pitt to match point. Despite a brief Oregon surge, Pitt closed the set 15-12, sealing their place in the Elite Eight.

“This win shows we can handle adversity,” said Fisher. “You can’t succeed at this level by only performing when everything is going well. There are only eight teams left.”

Pitt now prepares to face Kentucky on Saturday at 5 p.m. The match, broadcast on ESPN 2, offers the Panthers a chance to reach the Final Four for the fourth consecutive year.