Rivalry renewed: Pitt volleyball set to take on Penn State

Far and away, Pitt women’s volleyball’s biggest game of the season so far is this Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Petersen Events Center. The typical venue of Pitt basketball hosts a rivalry matchup of unbeaten Pitt and unbeaten Penn State. 

It’s as big as a volleyball match can get this early in the season.

“I think we’re all going to be a little bit more juiced up for this kind of crowd,” Pitt head coach Dan Fisher said. 

“But there still is the perspective that it is September,” Fisher said. “[And] when you play good teams, they expose you and they teach you about yourself, so it’s a good chance for us to learn who we are.” 

Thus far, all both teams know about each other is they are darn good volleyball teams. Penn State is ranked No. 3 and has three top-15 victories. Pitt, meanwhile, is ranked No. 1, has two top-25 victories and has swept every opponent they have faced this season.

Fisher, deservedly so, is bullish about his team’s early season play.

“I like our team, and I like the way we’re playing, and I think we’re the best we’ve ever been,” Fisher said. 

More specifically, Fisher is proud of the level of play two seniors, setter Rachel Fairbanks and libero Emmy Klika, have displayed early in the year. 

“Our setting and our libero play is as good as it’s ever been,” Fisher said.

On the other side of the net, Penn State has a first-year phenom in setter Izzy Starck who led the Nittany Lions offense to a reverse sweep against No. 9 Kentucky. Starck has plenty of options to set in this Penn State offense, especially on the left pins.

Graduate student outside hitter Jess Mruzik leads the Nittany Lions in kills with 96, but not too far behind is a fellow graduate student and outside hitter, Camryn Hannah, who has tabbed 85 kills to her name.

The two outsides have hit efficiently as well. Mruzik currently has a .309 hitting percentage, and Hannah has bested Mruzik in this category with a .329 hitting percentage. 

On the other pin is redshirt first-year opposite hitter Carolina Jurevicius, who transferred from volleyball powerhouse Nebraska in the offseason. Jurevicius doesn’t get as many sets as Mruzik and Hannah, but her numbers are still impressive. The former Cornhusker has 52 kills with a .321 hitting percentage.

But Fisher is paying close attention to the talent that Penn State has on the pins in preparation for this Wednesday’s top-three matchup.

“I think all their pins are problematic,” Fisher said. “I think all their pins can score out of system. And so we’re going to have to work hard to win some long rallies and put them in uncomfortable spots.” 

Still, Fisher is confident in his players during these high-pressure situations with possibly a sellout at hand. 

“I think they’ll be ready,” Fisher said. “We’ve got some players that have proven that they like the bright lights.”

Two players on Pitt’s roster that aren’t as familiar with these “big moments” are the Panthers’ middle blockers, first-year Ryla Jones and redshirt junior Bre Kelley. This is possibly the biggest game of Jones’ volleyball career, and Kelley has played in Sweet Sixteen matchups, but no top-three heated rivalry matchups like this one.

The middle blockers are off to a solid start defensively, with both earning more than .9 blocks per set. But Fisher wants them to make more of a difference on the attack since both average less than 1.6 kills per set.

“I’d like to get our middles more involved [on offense],” Fisher said. “We’re working on them being better at slides and different routes.” 

Perfecting different routes middle blockers take on their approaches to find a hole in the defense isn’t a one-day fix. But it’s something for Pitt volleyball fans to watch them improve dramatically throughout the season. Similar to the massive improvement the Panthers’ serve receive made during the offseason, which Fisher wasn’t expecting before the season.

“The level we’ve passed at has been a pleasant surprise,” Fisher said. “I think almost all three passers are around 60% in system, which is really rare to have all three do so well.”

The Panthers’ serve receive has only allowed 10 aces all season long and have aced the opponent 44 times. Sophomore opposite hitter Olivia Babcock has played a large part in the Panthers’ domination while they are serving. The Los Angeles native has 12 aces on the year and has only made an error eight times with her volatile jump topspin serve.

“She’s having a good serving year, and did not have that great of a serving preseason,” Fisher said. “It was a challenge coming out of the preseason that the coaches put on her that if you’re going to be a jump top spinner, you gotta go on runs. Because there is a chance of a higher chance of errors. So the trade off needs to be, she goes on long runs. And she’s definitely been able to do that.”

Pitt has to win the serve-receive battle on Wednesday night if it wants to leave the Petersen Events Center victorious. Moreover, if the Panthers believe they are a legitimate title-winning team, they must keep their record unblemished.

“Our goal is to win a national championship,” Fisher said. “And they’re clearly someone in our way.”