Pitt
Bowling Green
Women's Volleyball Posts Season-Bests in Kills and Digs
9/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 17, 2010
PITTSBURGH—Pitt recorded a season high 64 kills and 64 digs, as the University of Pittsburgh women's volleyball team earned a five-set victory over Bowling Green, this evening, as part of the Blue Gold Tournament being held on campus at Fitzgerald Field House. The Panthers won with scores of 22-25, 25-16, 21-25 and 15.
Pitt (3-10) tallied a season-best 64 kills in the match. Senior Amy Town accounted for a match-high 22, while middle blockers Imani Harper and Kiesha Leggs added 16 and 14, respectively. All three turned in individual season bests with those totals.
Defensively, senior Tara Rohall collected a team- and career-high 11 digs. Sophomore Margy Acton and Town chipped in 10 apiece.
This evening’s match marked the first double-double of the season for Town. On the day, Town posted combined totals of 39 kills and 18 digs against the Falcons and Robert Morris.
In the deciding set, the Panthers had to make up ground quickly after trailing 8-4. A sideout on the next play led to a 3-1 Pitt run, which included a block from Leggs and sophomore Jenn Katona.
A few plays later, Pitt would win a long volley when Bowling Green touched the net on Town’s attack. Then, a wide Falcon attack tied the set at 11.
Soon after, Town gave the Panthers a 13-12 lead when she tapped a long Bowling Green pass on the back of the Falcon’s setter.
Senior Alyssa King would then set Town outside for set point. On the next play, Town leaped up and swung down on a long Bowling Green pass to seal Pitt’s victory.
Playing from behind, Pitt trailed 1-0 in the match. During the second set, a solo block from Harper gave the Panthers a 12-8 lead. The Panthers kept pushing and held a 19-12 advantage following a kill from Leggs.
Two serves later, Leggs attacked a long Bowling Green pass that put the Panthers ahead 21-12. Two Falcon attack errors would put Pitt ahead 23-12.
The Falcons earned a sideout and recorded a 4-1 run to hold the Panthers on set point. But, Leggs fifth kill of the game tied the match at 1-1.
Leggs and Harper recorded a set-high five kills in the contest.
Now trailing 2-1 in the match, a solo block from Harper gave Pitt a 13-8 advantage in the fourth set. That play also caused a Bowling Green timeout.
King would then set Harper for a kill to put the Panthers ontop 16-11. King also found Town in the back row for an 18-13 Pitt lead. King recorded 40 assists in the match.
With the score at 20-15 in Pitt’s favor, Leggs and sophomore Michelle Walker combined on a block for the squad. That block was the 10th of the match for the Panthers.
Next, Harper outplayed Bowling Green’s middle at the net for a 24-18 advantage. On the next serve, Harper recorded another solo block for set point. King would then set Harper on the right side of the net to give Pitt a 25-18 victory and tie the match at two sets apiece.
The Panthers out-blocked Bowling Green 5-1 in the fourth set. Harper held a .625 hitting clip and matched a game high with five kills.
Earlier in a close opening set that featured 13 ties, Harper kept a play alive when she earned a dig on a Bowling Green attack. Her dig led to a kill for Katona. The Panthers led 16-14 with that play.
The Falcons would go on a short run and lead 19-17 a few plays later. Pitt called a timeout and immediately tied it at 19 with a back row kill from Town and an ace from senior Melanie Feldman. That ace was Pitt’s 28th of the year.
Bowling Green rallied again and held a 23-20 advantage over the Panther. Head Coach Toby Rens called his second timeout to discuss a plan. The Panthers cut it to a one-point game, 23-22, but the Falcons would use two Pitt errors to take the set, 25-22.
Town turned in a six-kill performance in the first set, while King had 12 assists.
Leggs opened the third set with a hard swing on a long Bowling Green pass. A few plays later, Harper recorded a solo block to give Pitt an early 4-2 advantage.
Pitt would find themselves trailing 13-10 as play continued. However, a Harper kill would tie the game at 17 and force a Bowling Green timeout. Both teams traded points till the Falcons took a 20-18 lead in the set.
Pitt kept fighting and would tie the set at 21 with a kill from sophomore Alexa Campbell. Despite the attempts, Bowling Green kept pushing and forced a Pitt timeout with a 23-21 lead. Two Pitt errors then cost the Panthers the set at 25-21.
Pitt out-blocked Bowling Green 11.5-7.
The Panthers return to action on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. against St. Francis (Pa.) in the final match of the Blue Gold Tournament. Gametracker will be available at www.pittsburghpanthers.com.
