Pittsburgh volleyball outlasts Louisville in gritty five set win
🔵🟡 Pittsburgh takes down Louisville in a gritty five set win.
No. 6 Pittsburgh edged No. 4 Louisville, 3-2, in a fiery top 10 rivalry matchup on Sunday, October 19. The two ACC foes duked it in a rematch of the 2024 national semifinals, feeding off the energy in a bouncing L&N Federal Credit Arena.
In a tightly contested five-setter that showcased the best of what each defenses had to offer, the Panthers found the edge with 10 blocks while hitting .313 despite the Cardinals efforts.
Pitt stuck first, taking a 25-20 win in set one. But Louisville flipped the script in set two and three, earning commanding wins and a 2-1 edge entering the fourth. In a do or die situation, the Panthers owned set four, 25-17 and forced the rivalry match to five.
With the Cardinal crowd on their feet, Louisville punched first but a 6-0 Pitt scoring run put the Panthers ahead 7-3. Louisville fought back within one point of striking distance before Pitt took total control and clinched the victory, 15-11.
Outside Olivia Babcock had a historic day, powering a program-record 41 kills on .423 hitting. Babcock’s elite performance marks her as only the fourth NCAA player since 2019 to record 40 kills in a single match. She passed her previous career-high of 33 kills in set four which she earned in 2024 against Louisville in their Final Four loss.
The 2024 National Player of the Year shared five blocks on the day with middle Ryla Jones, forcing the Louisville offense to a .167 and .000 hitting percentage in the fourth and fifth sets.
With the win, Pitt earned its seventh ranked victory of the season and avenged its 2024 national semifinal heartbreak while handing Louisville only its fourth loss at home since 2020. The two rivals will meet again Wednesday, Nov. 26 at the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA.
See final stats here.
🎯 41 daggers on the day for Babcock
CAREER HIGH IN KILLS FOR LIV! SHE HAS 34!
— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB)
S4|
Pitt - 23
Louisville - 17
📺 ESPN
👀 Here come the Cards
After a four point Pittsburgh lead, the Cardinals battled back to cut the deficit 10-9 in the fifth.
It's a race to 15 at the L&N Federal Credit Union. Keep up with live stats here.
🏃♀️ Panthers on a run
Olivia Babcock's 39th kill on the day extends Pitt's 6-0 scoring run to a 7-3 lead over Louisville in set five.
Keep up with live stats here.
🎰 What's a stake
We are underway in set five in this thriller of a rivalry match.
What's at stake? Check it out below.
- Pitt is seeking its seventh ranked win of the season and to avenge the 2024 Final Four loss to the Cardinals
- Louisville is looking to earn its first home win against Pitt since 2023.
Keep up with live stats here.
🖐 We are going to five!
Pittsburgh answered in set four with a 25-17 win over Louisville to stay alive and force a fifth. Olivia Babcock leads her team with a career-high 35 kills on .406 hitting for the day.
CAREER HIGH IN KILLS FOR LIV! SHE HAS 34!
— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB)
S4|
Pitt - 23
Louisville - 17
📺 ESPN
Who will take the rivalry win? Keep up with live stats here.
🚨 OLIVIA BABCOCK CAREER-HIGH KILLS
Olivia Babcock powered her way to 34th kills in set four, passing her previous career-high of 33 that was set in 2024 against Louisville in the National Semifinal.
Keep up with live stats here.
Panthers 🆙 in Set 4
Two back-to-back tips by Marina Pezelj sent the Cardinals defense in a scuffle, pushing the Pitt lead 15-9.
Keep up with live stats
👏 We love a setter swing
A BIG swing by Pitt setter Brooke Mosher extends the Panthers' lead 9-5 in set four. Louisville is forced to call time as the Panthers capitalize on a 3-0 scoring run.
Keep up with live stats here.
⚜️ Cards in driver's set, take Set 3
Louisville took set three in a commanding 25-20 win over Pitt. The Cardinals continued their momentum surge from set two, striking first and maintaining the lead throughout.
Nayelis Cabello has orchestrated a balance offense thus far, tallying a career-high seven kills of her own on the day.
Still sleeping 😴😴😴
— Louisville Volleyball (@LouisvilleVB)
📺 ESPN
Louisville leads 2-1 entering set four. Can Pitt survive? Keep up with live stats here.
😱 Payton Peterson to the right pocket
In a match defined by tight defensive battles, this Louisville and Pitt rally in the third set was more of the same. Payton Peterson capped the back and forth dual with a dagger to the right pocket, extending the Cardinals' lead 16-11.
🗣️🗣️🗣️ WHAT A RALLY!
— Louisville Volleyball (@LouisvilleVB)
📺 ESPN
Keep up with live stats here.
🔵🟡 Pitt takes time
Louisville has picked up right where they left on in starting set three. A 4-0 scoring run by the Cardinals to put them up 7-3 forcing Pitt head coach Dan Fisher to call a timeout.
Keep up with live stats here.
🥊 Louisville punches back in Set 2
After falling the first set, the Cardinals put up a decisive performance and secured set two, 25-19. Chloe Chicoine has been on fire for the Cardinal offense with 11 kills on .476 hitting and only one error. She now has logged double digit kills in her last six matches.
There goes 🤯 x 🎥 ESPN /
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball)
🙌 BIG PANTHER STUFF
Ryla Jones and Olivia Babcock combine for a monster block up front to cut the Pitt deficit, 20-16 in set two.
Can the Panthers complete the comeback? Keep up with live stats here.
🤯 Nayelis Cabello one-hander
Louisville setter Nayelis Cabello logs a kill with a one-handed setter dump to catch the Pitt defense off-guard. The Cardinals extend their 15-10 lead over Pitt in set two.
Caught 'em sleeping 😴
— Louisville Volleyball (@LouisvilleVB)
📺 ESPN
Keep up with live stats here.