University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Rutgers
Women's Volleyball Wins In Three
9/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 25, 2011
PITTSBURGH--Pitt collects 12 aces as the women's volleyball team earned a straight-set victory (25-14, 25-16 and 25-9) over Rutgers on Sunday afternoon at Fitzgerald Field House.
The Panthers (11-5, 1-1 Big East) served a season-best 12 aces in the match. Previously, Pitt tallied 11 against Eastern Kentucky (Aug. 26), Marist (Aug. 27) and New Hampshire (Sept. 2). Junior Alexa Campbell and freshman Lindsey Zitzke chipped in four aces each, while freshman Delaney Clesen added two.
This is the eighth straight-set victory of the year, which is the most the Panthers have posted in a season since claiming 13 shutouts in 2009.
Defensively, Pitt out-blocked Rutgers 13-5 and limited the Scarlet Knights to a negative .045 hitting clip. That is the lowest of the season for Rutgers (6-12, 0-2 Big East). On the year, the Panthers are holding opponents to a .160 hitting percentage. Sophomore Brenea White rejected a career-high seven attempts in the contest. She also tallied six kills.
Pitt's offense was evenly balanced as sophomore Monica Wignot put down a match-high 10 kills. Additionally, freshman Mechael Guess and senior Kiesha Leggs recorded seven and six kills, respectively.
In the first set, Leggs gave the Panthers a 9-4 advantage with the squad's third ace of the match. Pitt extended its lead to seven, 17-10, with a combined block from Leggs and Zitzke. Next, White put down back-to-back kills for a 22-13 advantage in the contest.
Pitt earned set point with two combined blocks from junior Jasmine Dittrich and White. Zitzke ended the rally when she pushed a pass from Guess over the net that dropped behind Rutgers' defense. Junior Margy Acton collected six digs in the opener. She finished the match with 11 total.
After the bench change, Zitzke took control of the second set. She served the first six points for Pitt, which included three aces.
Later, the Panthers led 16-4 after Campbell served three consecutive aces to force Rutgers' second timeout of the frame. The Scarlet Knights attempted a comeback and closed the gap to 21-12. However, a solo stuff from Leggs would give Pitt its 22nd point of the game.
Rutgers continued to push, but the Panthers used three of the next seven volleys to win the second set. Guess led Pitt with three kills.
In the third set, freshman Cassandra Congemi entered the match and served two points for Pitt. Congemi tallied her first dig of the season on a rally that resulted in a kill for Guess.
The Panthers pulled away 10-3 following three consecutive errors by the Scarlet Knights. Pitt rallied a 4-2 run that was capped by a kill from Leggs. Zitzke earned the assist on the play and finished the match with 22 assists.
Later, Zitzke put down a kill when she dumped a pass from Clesen. The Panthers held a 19-8 advantage at that point. Rutgers would only score one point after that, as Pitt sealed its victory on a 6-1 run. Campbell led the defense with five digs in the stanza.
The Panthers travel to Georgetown for a 7 p.m. contest on Friday, Sept. 30.
