Nov. 11, 2007

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PITTSBURGH--Senior Diana Andreyko set a school record for career kills on Senior Day, as Pitt blanked Rutgers, 3-0, at Fitzgerald Field House this afternoon. Pitt earned their eighth shutout win of the season with scores of 30-8, 30-20 and 30-12.

"The all-time kills record is one of the records people thought wouldn't be broken because of the change to rally scoring," said head coach Chris Beerman. "I give Diana credit for being a starter in every game of her career and never missing a game due to injury."

Andreyko (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) eclipsed the previous all-time kills record of 1,815, set by Ann Marie Lucanie (1990-93), with the game-winning kill in game two. The record-setting kill was her 17th of the match and 434th of the season.

"Capping of the game with 23 kills and a .514 hitting percentage is a testament to how hoard of a worker she is," added Beerman.

Leading the Panthers (15-14, 8-6 Big East), her match-high 23 kills and nine digs were just shy of totaling her 12th double-double of the season.

On the other hand, junior Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton) recorded a match-high 41 assists and 10 digs for her third double-double of the season.

Sophomore Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) and junior Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) chipped in nine and eight kills, respectively, for the Panthers.

Senior Melissa Ferguson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) earned the start in the game and posted two digs in the first game, including a pancake save on a short pass early in the game.

In that opening game, Andreyko recorded a game-high 11 kills and tallied a .917 hitting clip. As a team, Pitt only committed one attack error in the 30-8 win.

The second game of the contest opened close, as the Panthers and Rutgers (3-22, 1-13 Big East) held a 6-6 tie. A kill by Andreyko gave Pitt the sideout on the next play. Moses then extended the lead with her team-leading 21st service ace of the season. Moses would go on to maintain the serve and Pitt jumped out to an 11-6 advantage.

Later in the game a set from Taurence would lead to a 23-16 lead when Moses' kill over the middle split the Rutgers defense.

Taurence recorded an assist on 15 of the squad's 16 kills, while sophomore Michelle Rossi (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) posted eight of her match-high 23 kills in that second contest.

In the deciding game, Pitt held the Scarlet Knights to a -.108 hitting percentage. Junior Kelly Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield/Pacific) led the Panthers with a .750 hitting clip of her own, off three kills on four attempts.

Pitt finished it home schedule 10-2, honoring Andreyko and Ferguson prior to the victory. The Panthers now await their Big East seeding.