Panthers prepared for opening round

The Pitt volleyball team will be playing a meaningful match in December for the first time in… The Pitt volleyball team will be playing a meaningful match in December for the first time in nearly a decade when they take on the University of Pennsylvania tonight at 5 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Panthers (25-5) earned an automatic berth to the Tournament by capturing the Big East title with a victory over reigning champ Notre Dame on Nov. 23. Pitt was also a co-champion of the Big East in the regular season, tying the Fighting Irish with an 11-1 conference record.

“We’re as good as we’re going to get,” head coach Chris Beerman said. “Right now, it’s about execution and playing with confidence and playing to win. [It’s also about] playing to be not satisfied with what we’ve done so far – to keep winning and take this season as far as we can take it.”

Pitt was placed in bracket for the first and second rounds with other Pennsylvania teams – Penn State, Penn and Robert Morris – with the games to be held in State College, Pa.

The NCAA doesn’t seed all 64 teams in the tournament, only teams 1-16, with each of the 16 teams hosting matches in the first two rounds. Penn State is ranked 11th, which is why it is playing host.

Penn State takes on Robert Morris in the first-round matchup on Friday. The winner will face the Pitt-Penn game’s winner tomorrow at 7 p.m. That winner will advance to the regional semifinals in Gainesville, Fla.

Beerman says the team is taking it one match at a time and won’t overlook the Ivy League champs. But it’s hard not to look past the first round to a possible showdown with Big Ten champs Penn State, who beat Pitt earlier this year on a neutral court.

“If we are lucky enough to play Penn State in that final, you [have to] let it all hang out. You have to beat Penn State at Penn State. It’ll be the hardest match of the year if we do get that far.”

The Panthers, playing in their first NCAA Tournament since 1994, are 4-4 against other teams who made the tournament. They beat Notre Dame twice and also defeated American and Robert Morris, while losing to Penn State, 16th-seeded Texas A’M, Dayton and Pacific.

The Quakers (20-6), winners of their third-straight Ivy League title, are 2-2 against tournament teams, with victories over Manhattan and Robert Morris and losses to Pacific and 4th-seeded Pepperdine.

This will be the ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Panthers, who have advanced to the second round only twice.