Panthers come from behind, start 2-0 in conference play

The Pitt women’s volleyball team rode high emotions to win its first two Big East matches of the… The Pitt women’s volleyball team rode high emotions to win its first two Big East matches of the season last weekend. The Panthers moved closer toward their goal of a Big East regular-season title by notching come-from-behind victories over Villanova on Friday and Seton Hall on Saturday. Pitt joined St. John’s and Notre Dame as the only Big East teams to start 2-0 in conference play this season. ‘We had a choice in the games to fight or roll over,’ said Pitt coach Toby Rens. ‘We fought. I’m very proud of the effort they gave and how they believed in each other.’ Pitt junior Meagan Dooley led the Panthers (9-7, 2-0) with a double-double against Villanova and 10 kills against Seton Hall. Senior Kelly Campbell recorded match-high kill totals of 21 against Villanova and 18 against Seton Hall. Senior Nicole Taurence and sophomore Amy Town both recorded double-doubles against Seton Hall. ‘I think Meagan and [Senior] Jessica [Moses] really came through in clutch situations this weekend,’ said Rens, ‘But everybody kind of stepped up and battled.’ The Panthers return to the Fitzgerald Field House this weekend riding a six-game winning streak. They’ll face South Florida Saturday at 2 p.m. and Georgetown Sunday at the same time. Pitt 3 Villanova 2 The resilient Panthers fought off two match points to defeat the Wildcats Saturday. Dooley recorded her first double-double of the season, and junior Michelle Rossi added 19 digs. But it wasn’t easy. Pitt faced a 2-0 deficit heading into the third set. The Panthers then rattled off their best hitting performance of the match in the set, posting a .419 hitting clip. Pitt won the set, 25-16, and the fourth set, 25-16. In the tiebreaker, the Panthers earned the victory with 10 kills and five Villanova errors. Freshman Allyson Hodnik finished with 32 assists after coming off the bench in the match. ‘Villanova was a huge win for us,’ said Rens. ‘[Especially] being on the road [with] them being picked ahead of us in the preseason poll. It was a collective effort.’ Pitt 3, Seton Hall 2 Heading into Saturday’s game, Rens said he was afraid the Panthers would experience somewhat of an emotional letdown. ‘We were just a little flat at first because of the emotional win the night before,’ said Rens, ‘The day before, Seton Hall beat West Virginia in three sets, so they weren’t as taxed as us.’ The letdown led to another 2-0 deficit for the Panthers on the road. But for the second match in a row, Pitt turned it around in the third set on their way to the match victory. Campbell led the Panthers in the third set with six kills, and the team collected five blocks. The Panthers trailed, 18-15, during the third game and took a timeout. After the break, Pitt went on an 8-5 run to tie the set at 23. The Panthers fought off two match points for the Wildcats, and then Taurence set Town for a kill to give the Panthers a 26-25 advantage and a chance at match point. A Wildcat error on the next play handed the Panthers the set victory. The Panthers dominated the fourth set to win, 25-16. ‘Seton Hall was big,’ said Rens, ‘It was funny because on Saturday night, after the Villanova game, I told them I couldn’t be more proud of them. Well, they one-upped me, because they did it again against Seton Hall the next day. I’ve never won back-to-back matches like that in my career.’ As far as continuing their Big East winning streak of two games, Rens said USF and Georgetown both pose considerable threats. ‘[Georgetown] is much improved from last year,’ said Rens. ‘They have a couple of very talented freshman that have taken them to a good level. As far as [South Florida], they’ve been good for the last couple of years. They return five starters from last year. Both are very legit opponents.’