Oct. 5, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH—Pitt’s women’s volleyball team recorded a season-high 23 blocks in their 3-2 loss to Georgetown, this afternoon, at Fitzgerald Field House. The Panthers fell 25-14, 25-19, 20-25, 19-25 and 12-15 in the match.

Collectively Pitt (10-8, 3-1 Big East) recorded 23 blocks in the contest, out-doing its opponent 23-4. Leading the team with a career high was freshman Hannah Swysgood (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut), who tallied 12 block assists and one block solo in the match. Additionally, junior Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) stuffed 10 attacks, including nine block assists.

On the year, the Panthers have out-blocked their opponents, 172.5-131.5.

This afternoon, Pitt played in their sixth five-set match in the last seven contest. The Panthers led the match 2-0 prior to dropping the remaining three and ending their seven-match win streak.

Offensively, Pitt was led by senior Kelly Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield/Pacific) with 10 kills and 12 assists. Sophomore Amy Town (Orillia, Ont./Orillia) chipped in 11 kills, while Swysgood and Dooley recorded nine a piece.

In the first set, Swysgood recorded back-to-back kills with aggressive play at the net to force a Hoya timeout at 13-8.

Leading 19-11, senior Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) and Campbell combined on a block that was part of a 5-0 run for the Panthers. Pitt would go on to win the set 25-14 with a dump from senior Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton).

Dooley tallied a set-high five kills and two block assists in the contest. Next, Taurence gave Pitt an 11-6 lead with back-to-back aces in the second set. Taurence would serve seven points during an 8-1 run for the Panthers.

Later, freshman Rachel Kalberer (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) entered the contest and gave the Panthers a 21-15 lead in the second set. A few plays later, Campbell finished off the set with a kill at the middle of the net. She recorded the high with four kills and a .667 hitting percentage in the set.

In the third and fourth sets, Pitt was held to 0.042 and .033 hitting percentages, respectively. However, the squad out-blocked Georgetown, 12-4 including six block assists from Swysgood in the two contests.

In the deciding set, Georgetown (10-7, 3-1 Big East) took a 7-2 advantage. Swysgood then collected one of her nine kills when she attacked a long pass from the Hoyas. A block from Campbell and Moses on the next play and a Campbell kill cut the lead to 7-5, but Georgetown would outlast Pitt’s run and take the match 3-2.

Pitt travels to DePaul on Saturday, Oct. 11, for a 2 p.m. matchup.