Volleyball: Panthers fall in Big East tournament

Despite season-best performances from senior Kiesha Leggs and freshman Jessica Wynn, the No…. Despite season-best performances from senior Kiesha Leggs and freshman Jessica Wynn, the No. 8-seeded Panther volleyball team fell to the No.1-seeded Louisville Cardinals in Friday’s first round of the Big East tournament.

Leggs, a middle blocker for the Panthers, recorded her first double-double of the season with 12 blocks and 11 kills. Wynn also finished with a double-double, earning 12 kills and 19 digs.

But the Panthers were unable to upset the regular-season champion Cardinals as Louisville won the match 3-1 with set scores of 25-13, 25-20, 24-26 and 25-20.

The Pitt team (18-13, 7-7 Big East) was responsible for Louisville’s only regular-season Big East loss as it defeated the Cardinals (22-7, 13-1) in a 3-1 contest on Oct. 23.

For Wynn and Leggs, it seemed as if the Louisville team entered the Big East tournament match-up improved and ready to face the Panthers again.

“We were their only conference loss, and it was apparent that they were out to get revenge and that they would be focused on that goal,” Wynn said.

“Louisville’s defense was much improved this time around,” Leggs said. “They did not let anything hit the floor.”

In the first set, the Panthers battled the Cardinals to a 15-12 score, but a 10-1 run by Louisville sealed the victory.

The Panthers managed their first lead in the second set of the match as they broke a 12-12 tie on a kill by Leggs. The score remained close and at the 22-20 mark, but the Cardinals called a timeout and returned to end the set on three straight points.

Pitt head coach Toby Rens acknowledged that his team did not execute its game plan as effectively as it had in the October meeting.

“Our focus was on limiting their runs and attacking their game plan to put them out of system,” Rens said. “We were unable to do that, and to Louisville’s credit, they responded well to our attempts.”

The third set began with the Panthers jumping out to an 11-7 lead, but once again the Cardinals used a run — this time 8-0 — to take the 23-22 edge. But the Panthers were able to close out the set on a block from sophomore Brenea White.

In the match, the Panthers out-blocked the Cardinals 15-4 and recorded 5 blocks in the third set while shutting out their opponent in that category.

Louisville took advantage of its match-high 17 kills in the final set to defeat the Panthers and advance to the next round of the conference tournament.

The Cardnials’ success on offense came through balanced scoring, as four players recorded double-digit kills en route to out-hitting the Panthers 62-38.

For Rens, the lack of scoring distribution was a critical part of the loss.

“We would have liked to get our outside hitters more involved,” Rens said. “Kiesha had to carry a large burden from the middle position since we struggled with our other offensive options.”

Louisville junior outside hitter Lola Arslanbekova, recently named Big East Player of the Year, led all players with 16 kills. Her 4.94 kills-per-set average currently ranks third in the nation, and she has tallied over 1,400 kills in her three-year career.

The Cardinals also dominated in defense and serving statistics as they recorded 75 digs and 11 service aces, whereas the Panthers tallied 59 and four, respectively.

Louisville’s sophomore libero led the match with 24 digs, and Arslanbekova contributed four aces. Wynn’s 19 digs paced the Panthers defense while freshman Delaney Clesen chipped in with 15.

While the Panthers exited the tournament eariler than they had hoped, both players and coaches were able to see the positive aspects of the season.

Leggs earned first team All-Big East honors, an award that she attributes to the hard work and dedication she put into her senior season.

“I was shocked at first, especially given the level of talent in the conference,” Leggs said. “It is nice though, to be recognized for my efforts.”

Rens was not surprised with the distinction and noted that he has been impressed with Leggs’ performances this season.

“Kiesha has been instrumental to our team, both in terms of her offensive production and her leadership on and off the court,” Rens said. “She is truly deserving of this honor and I am certainly proud of her.”

Both Rens and his players also recognize that this year’s experiences will only help the young Panther team going forward. With just two seniors on the roster, many freshmen and sophomores saw significant playing time during the season.

Wynn, a freshman, is confident that the team will take the results of this season and learn from the experience of facing high-level competition.

“At one point in the Louisville match, we had five freshmen on the court and only one upperclassman,” Wynn said. “Having the experience of a tournament berth early in our careers will only make us hungrier next year as we fight to get back here.”

For Rens, the team’s ability to earn a spot in the tournament with so many young players encourages optimism for the future.

“We were the youngest team at the tournament this year,” Rens said. “Next year, we will be that team that returns most of its starters and has a wealth of experience to draw from.”

With the end of Big East Conference play, the Panthers will travel to San Diego State to take part in the Aztec Turkey Time Tournament on Nov. 26. Their first match will be against Texas Christian University of the Mountain West Conference at 7:30 p.m.