Pitt volleyball earns hard-fought 3-1 win over Miami

With the ACC regular season title race heating up, No. 6 Pitt volleyball took care of business, taking down Miami 3-1 on the road to eke out its 12th conference win of the season on Sunday afternoon. Junior setter and right-side hitter Racheal Fairbanks led the Panthers in the win, notching a career-high 48 assists in the match. 

First-years Olivia Babcock and Torrey Stafford also had a big game against the Hurricanes, as they both recorded double digits in kills. Redshirt senior outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez also recorded 10 kills. 

For Miami, first-year outside hitter Grace Lopez kept the Hurricanes in the match, racking up 24 kills against the Panthers. 

Despite the decisive 3-1 final score, the match was fiercely competitive, as the final three sets were determined by just two points each. 

Pitt dominated the Hurricanes in the first set, winning 25-15 to take a 1-0 lead. Miami proved more resilient in the second set, taking the Panthers to the wire in an attempt to tie the match. But the Panthers still won the set 25-23 to take a 2-0 lead.

The third set was even more competitive than the second, as Miami did everything it could to prevent the sweep. Pitt and Miami were neck and neck the entire set, finding themselves tied at 24-24. The Hurricanes ultimately gained the upper hand, scoring the next two points to win the set 26-24.

But Pitt rebounded well in the fourth and final set of the match. The Hurricanes kept it close, but the Panthers won the set 25-23 and walked away with the 3-1 victory. 

Pitt will hope to continue its success on Friday as it travels to Atlanta to take on No. 10 Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are currently tied with Pitt, Louisville and Florida State for the top spot in the ACC, making this game crucial for the Panthers’ conference title hopes. The match is set to start at 5 p.m., and coverage will air on the ACCN.