Volleyball: Panthers set to face No.1 seed

In theory, the eighth-seeded Pitt volleyball team would have a tough time facing the No. 1 seed… In theory, the eighth-seeded Pitt volleyball team would have a tough time facing the No. 1 seed in the Big East tournament. But the odds might be in Pitt’s favor, as the Panthers are the only team in the conference to have taken down the Louisville Cardinals.

Securing the eighth seed wasn’t easy for the Panthers, who had to end the season with a four-match win streak to secure a tournament berth. The fight doesn’t stop there, though. Louisville will present a whole new set of challenges.

Louisville has won four of the last five Big East Championships, a ratio that exemplifies the experience they bring to the floor. The Cardinals are led by Lola Arslanbekova, who has lived up to her nomination as Preseason Player of the Year. She currently leads the league in kills per set.

The Pitt team earned a 3-1 victory at Louisville on Oct. 23, and as a result the Panther players feel confident going into the end-of-season tournament.

“It was an awesome feeling to beat a team like Louisville, especially on their court,” senior middle blocker Kiesha Leggs said. “A win like that lets our team know that we are capable of beating any team, and it really boosts our confidence going forward.”

Fellow senior middle hitter Lauren Hartman agreed, but noted that Louisville will be looking for revenge.

“We were Louisville’s only conference loss this year, and I am sure they will be fired up to play us again,” Hartman said. “We know that, as a team, we have to be just as focused and ready to play.”

That focus has been evident in the final matches of the Panthers’ season, as they concluded their schedule with a 3-1 victory over USF to cap the four-match win streak and secure a tournament berth.

Coming into the USF contest, Pitt controlled its own destiny in terms of securing a spot in the end-of-season conference tournament. A victory over USF would give them the eighth and final seed.

“The whole team had a must-win mentality in preparing for the USF match,” Pitt head coach Toby Rens said. “Everyone understood that a win put us in the tournament and a loss would end our season.”

The Panthers (18-12, 7-7 Big East) responded to the challenge and defeated the USF Bulldogs (11-16, 7-7) in four sets with scores of 26-24, 23-25, 25-23 and 25-19.

Offensively, Leggs led all players with 17 total kills while also contributing four blocks for points. She currently ranks third in the Big East in kills, points and hitting percentage. For the entire season, she has led her team in kills and blocks. Additionally, she is on pace to become the fifth player in Panther history to earn 400 kills and 100 blocks in one season.

“Kiesha has been a major asset to our offensive game plan this whole season,” Rens said of his senior captain. “We will look for her leadership and aggressive style to come into play again against Louisville.”

While the offensive spark was decisive, the Pitt defense and serving was also critical in the USF match and will continue to be going forward.

Four Panthers finished the USF match with double-digit dig figures as they held the Bulldogs to a .114 hitting percentage, and sophomore Monica Wignot led all players with four serving aces while freshman Lindsey Zitzke added three.

“We have worked on serving nearly every week in practice,” Rens said. “Executing our serving can put the other team out of their system and rhythm, and it’s a part of the game that we can control.”

The Panthers finished the regular season ranked second in the Big East in serving aces, while Zitzke finished second in the individual category.

As the Panthers prepare to face Louisville, Rens stressed the importance of consistency in his team’s play and acknowledged the necessity of mental toughness.

“Louisville is an excellent team with a lot of experienced players,” Rens said. “We need to match that by limiting our errors and staying focused even if we don’t have the lead.”

For the Panther players, the Big East tournament is a chance to show that they can compete with the league’s best teams.

“Earning a spot in the tournament proves that we belong with the best of the conference,” Leggs said. “We have shown that we can also beat the best.”

The Panthers’ season was extended with their win against USF, but they are looking to continue playing after their Nov. 18 matchup with the Cardinals in Milwaukee, Wis. If the Panthers win, they will face No. 4 Syracuse or No. 5 Notre Dame in the semifinals on Nov. 19.

“As a senior, I was glad our season did not end with a loss against USF,” Hartman said. “I certainly do not want it to end with a loss to Louisville, and I am confident that we can prove ourselves once again.”