Oct. 14, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH—Senior Kelly Campbell recorded a season-high 26 kills, as the Pitt women’s volleyball team defeated Youngstown State, 3-1, at Fitzgerald Field House, this evening. The Panthers won with scores of 25-21, 25-19, 22-25 and 25-23.

Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield/Pacific) posted 26 kills and 14 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.

Also recording kills in double figures were sophomore Amy Town (Orillia, Ont./Orillia) (14), senior Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) (12) and junior Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) (11).

In the match-wining fourth set, the Panthers (13-8) and Penguins (9-10) were knotted at 13 until a kill from senior Stephanie Ross (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) gave Pitt a slight lead with a 14-13. Campbell then added her eighth kill of the set for a 15-13 Pitt lead.

Next, Town extended the lead to 19-15 with a tip over the Youngstown defenders, forcing a timeout. On the play after the timeout Campbell recorded her second ace of the match.

Later, freshman Allyson Hodnik (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) set Dooley for a kill to end a rally from the Penguins and push ahead, 23-21. Hodnik tallied 37 assists on the day.

Campbell recorded Pitt’s next two points of the match, for the 3-1 victory.

The contest began, as the Panthers trailed 15-12 in the first set that led to a Pitt (13-8) timeout to regroup. The Panthers then went on a 9-4 run to take a 21-19, off a kill from Moses.

Pitt recorded a game point after Town ended a long rally with a kill from the left side of the net. On the next play, Ross posted her second kill of the match to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the contest.

Next, Pitt fell behind early in the second set but would lead 8-6 following a hard shot from Campbell.

Later, a block from Campbell and Moses would extend the Pitt lead to 18-13. A few plays later, junior Melissa Stadelman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) and Moses combined on Pitt’s second block of the second set.

The Penguins went on a 4-0 run to close the gap to 21-17, but Moses would tally her third kill of the set for a Panther sideout. Pitt would win three of the next five serves for the 25-19 victory.

With the third set tied at 12, freshman Hannah Swysgood (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut) recorded her first kill of the match to give Pitt a one-point advantage. On the next play, Swysgood and Dooley combined on the Panthers third block of the match.

The set was later tied at 18, but a 6-2 Youngstown run would leave Pitt trailing 24-21. The Panthers held off the set point but fell, 25-22.

Unlike most games this season, the Panthers were out-blocked, 11-4.

Pitt resumes Big East play on Friday, Oct. 17, against rival West Virginia at 7 p.m.