Nov. 7, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH—Junior Meagan Dooley tied the third-best all-time career record with her two solo blocks, this evening, as the Panthers dropped a 3-0 decision to Louisville at Fitzgerald Field House. The Panthers slipped with scores of 13-25, 16-25 and 23-25.

Dooley’s (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) recorded three blocks in the contest, including two solo stuffs on the middle attacker. Those two solo blocks improved Dooley to 21 on the season and 88 in her career, which tied Jenna Birkel’s record from 1996-1999. She is now five shy the second-place mark.

Dooley also chipped in five kills and a .400 hitting percentage in the contest. Sophomore Amy Town (Orillia, Ont./Orillia) added five kills of her own, while senior Kelly Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield/Pacific) led the squad with 15 kills.

On the defensive end, junior Michelle Rossi (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) recorded 11 digs. Campbell chipped in seven and senior Stephanie Ross (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) collected six digs in the contest.

After dropping the first two sets, Pitt (15-11, 7-4 Big East) pushed hard to win the third set as they opened the contest in a close battle full of long rallies.

Pitt’s fifth point of the third set started with a strong serve from Ross, and after a long rally Pitt earned the point with an attack error from the Cardinals (13-10, 9-3 Big East). Dooley then cut the lead to 8-6 with a kill from freshman Allyson Hodnik (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny).

An 8-3 Panther run followed as Pitt would take a 14-11 lead, after freshman Hannah Swysgood (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut) attacked a long Louisville pass. The Panthers later forced a timeout, as Campbell recorded a back-row kill that split two Cardinals attempting to make the block.

Reclaiming the lead at 21-20, Ross recorded a kill with a back set from Hodnik. Freshman Imani Harper (Yonkers, N.Y./The Master’s School/Temple) kept the play alive by the tipping the ball as it came past the net.

A ball handling error gave Pitt its final lead at 22-21a few plays later. Louisville would finish the match on a 4-1 run to earn the 25-23 victory in the final set. Rossi recorded seven digs in that set.

Earlier in the match, Pitt recorded 10 errors in the first set and fell 25-13. The Panthers trailed early, 6-1, but Dooley’s solo block ignited a 5-3 run for the Panthers, as they closed the gap to 7-9 in the opening period. During the run, Dooley added two kills thanks to back sets from senior Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton).

Louisville would then pull away and take the eventual lead with one of their 12 kills in the set.

In the next set, Campbell finished with seven kills and a .357 hitting clip to lead the Panthers. Hodnik tallied seven assists in the contest and boasted a team-high 18 in the match.

Pitt will honor its seniors on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m., as the Panthers end their regular-season home slate against Cincinnati.