With an early lead over Villanova, Pitt’s volleyball team set to close out the Wildcats and… With an early lead over Villanova, Pitt’s volleyball team set to close out the Wildcats and a perfect Big East road trip.

However, its 2-1 lead went astray as the Wildcats came back to win in five sets, leaving the Panthers to settle for a split, thanks to their 3-0 sweep over Rutgers on Saturday.

The Panthers are now 2-2 in Big East play and 13-6 overall. Pitt returns to Fitzgerald Field House to face Georgetown this Saturday at 2 p.m. and South Florida on Sunday, also at 2 p.m.

Pitt 3, Rutgers 0

Saturday’s match didn’t start out in the Panthers’ favor as they battled with the Scarlet Knights for control of the first game.

Just when Rutgers thought its 19-16 lead was the pathway to the upper hand. Stephanie Ross’ kill tied the game at 22. This gave Pitt enough confidence to withstand Rutgers’ persistence and come away with a 33-31 win. The Panthers tallied a .316 hitting percentage in that first game.

In the ensuing game, Pitt took a 22-15 lead and held off the Knights, 30-26. In the clinching game, the Panthers raced out to a 16-7 cushion and didn’t permit a Rutgers rally, coming away with a victorious 30-18 score that earned them the right to sweep their way out of Piscataway, N.J.

Pitt was led by Ross’ 17 kills, while Diana Andreyko added 15 of her own. Azadeh Boroumand put up 40 assists. The Scarlet Knights (4-9, 1-2 Big East) were led by Lora Yankauskas’ 18 kills and Roxy Calder’s 39 assists.

Villanova 3, Pitt 2

The Panthers made the short journey to Philadelphia’s Main Line with lots of momentum, and it carried over.

Pitt’s motivation was high enough that it resulted in Boroumand garnering a double-double and freshman Kim Kern setting a school record with 11 blocks. Kern also knocked in 10 kills, which was a career-high.

Villanova controlled much of the tempo in the first game, leading by as much as five points, before the Panthers tied it up at 22, thanks to a kill by Dooley. The game continued to go back and forth before Kern and Dooley’s block clinched game one, 31-29.

The second game was much of the same battle, before Pitt grabbed control of the match with a 21-18 lead, but the Wildcats knotted the score at 25.

Down 29-26 later in the match, Villanova tied the score with three straight points. After another Dooley kill tied the game at 30, the Wildcats put the match at an even par with an eventual 32-30 win.

The Panthers staked out to a 13-8 lead in the third game, and led by as much as seven before winning by a 30-24 count. Kern hit 1.000 in the game, garnering four kills.

Pitt tried to make the fourth game a similar plot by taking a 12-8 lead, but Villanova spoiled its plans and then some. The Wildcats scored five straight points to take a 21-17 lead and the Panthers couldn’t answer. The Wildcats’ 30-20 win sent the match to a decisive game.

There, Villanova was in the driver’s seat. The Wildcats scored four straight points to catapult them to a 15-12 clincher.

Andreyko led Pitt with 17 kills, while Ross contributed 13. Boroumand had 45 assists and 12 digs, which tied freshman libero Michelle Rossi for a team high.

Alona Cherkez’ 22 kills and 49 assists by Jenna Link led Villanova. This was the second time in their series that the Wildcats (9-9, 3-1 Big East) picked up consecutive victories over the Panthers.

Head coach Chris Beerman could not be reached for comment.