Nov. 16, 2008

Box Score

MILWAUKEE, Wis.—Pitt’s women’s volleyball team garnered the seventh seed in the Big East Championship following a shutout victory over Marquette at Al McGuire Center, this evening. The Panthers won the match with scores of 25-20, 25-18 and 25-17.

Recording its fifth berth in the Big East Championship in the last six year, Pitt (16-13, 8-6 Big East) earned the chance to play for a tournament title with today’s victory. Improving to 8-6 in the league, the Panthers record the seventh seed in the tournament and will host the 2008 Big East Championship at Fitzgerald Field House.

With the win, Pitt also improved to 6-1 in league road matches this season.

In the match, sophomore Amy Town (Orillia, Ont./Orillia) led the Panthers with 11 kills and eight digs. Additionally, junior Meagan Dooley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) posted seven blocks in the match and chipped in seven kills off a .692 hitting percentage.

The contest started with Pitt’s defense holding Marquette (11-16, 5-9 Big East) to a .062 hitting percentage in the first set. The Panthers also stuffed four Golden Eagle attacks in the game, which Dooley played a part in with three assisted blocks and one solo.

On the offensive side, Town posted four kills and senior Nicole Taurence (Trenton, Mich./Trenton) recorded 12 assists on 13 of the Panthers kills. Taurence collected 30 assists and was a perfect 6-for-6 in kills on the day.

Pitt kept the momentum in the second set, as four players led the Panthers to a .636 hitting percentage. Taurence led the squad with five dumps on five attempts, while Dooley was also perfect on her three swings. Senior Jessica Moses (North Olmstead, Ohio/Lutheran West) added four kills and a .800 attack percentage and Town rounded out the team with a .400 clip and three kills.

In the final set, senior Kelly Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield/Pacific) added six kills and three digs. Campbell ended the match with nine kills and six digs.

Pitt recorded eight blocks in the contest and boasts 275 on the year. Moses ended the regular season with 120 on the year, holding the all-time career record for block assists with 404. She is also second overall on the all-time career total block list with 463 blocks to-date.

The Big East Championship participants include:
1. St. John’s
2. Cincinnati
3. Louisville
4. Connecticut
5. Notre Dame
6. Syracuse
7. Pittsburgh
8. USF