Wednesday, November 24
Pittsburgh, Pa.
5 PM ET
Pitt
26-3,15-3ACC
1
vs
3
Louisville
27-0,17-0ACC
1
2
3
4
F
Louisville
25
25
17
25
3
Pittsburgh
19
19
25
21
1
No. 3 Pitt Volleyball Drops 3-1 Decision to No. 1 Louisville
11/24/2021 8:29:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – A comeback bid fell short for the No. 3 Pitt volleyball team (26-3, 15-3 ACC) as the Panthers dropped a 3-1 decision to unbeaten No. 1 Louisville (27-0, 17-0 ACC) at Fitzgerald Field House Wednesday evening in front of a sold-out crowd of 3,052.
Pitt fell down 2-0 after the Cardinals took the first two sets by a score of 25-19. The Panthers roared back to win the third frame, 25-17, but could not hold on to their momentum and fell, 25-21, in the fourth.
With the win, the Cardinals claimed the outright 2021 ACC title and snapped an eight-match win streak for Pitt. The win also snapped a 33-match win streak in the month of November for the Panthers. Pitt's last loss when playing in November was Nov. 13, 2016, against Duke at Fitzgerald Field House (3-1).
Pitt fell to 0-5 all-time against No. 1-ranked opponents. Wednesday was the second time in program history that Pitt hosted a No. 1 team in volleyball, with the only other meeting being Sept. 6, 1994, vs. No. 1 Stanford. Pitt fell, 3-0, in that match.
Right side hitter Chinaza Ndee led Pitt with 14 kills on .379 hitting and provided a team-best five blocks. Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh had 13 kills and nine digs for a near double-double effort. Freshman Rachel Fairbanks had a career match with eight kills on 11 swings and zero errors for a blistering .727 hitting percentage. She added 12 assists for the Panthers.
Louisville had narrow advantages in kills (55-54), assists (51-50), service aces (6-3), digs (46-43), blocks (11.0-10.0) and hitting percentage (.312-.250).
PITT VOLLEYBALL RESULTS VS. NO. 1 TEAMS
SET ONE: No. 1 Louisville 25, No. 3 Pitt 19
Three service errors and a long Louisville run were costly for the Panthers in the first set. Following a 13-11 Pitt lead, the Cardinals responded with a dominant 12-3 run to gain a 23-16 lead. The Panthers came as close as 24-19, but a Cardinal kill ended it. Pitt hit .300 for the first frame while Louisville hit .414.
SET TWO: No. 1 Louisville 25, No. 3 Pitt 19
It was déjà vu for Pitt in the second set as No. 1 Louisville took a 2-0 lead. Following a 12-11 Pitt lead, the Cardinals responded once again with a long run, this time 6-1, to take a 17-13 lead. Four unanswered points later put Louisville up 22-15. The Panthers closed the gap to 23-19 following a 4-1 spurt, but it was too little, too late.
SET THREE: No. 3 Pitt 25, No. 1 Louisville 17
Pitt responded in the third set to cut Louisville's lead in half, 2-1. The Panthers used a 7-1 run to gain full momentum of the set, going up 23-16. Pitt out-hit Louisville .452-.212 for the frame.
SET FOUR: No. 1 Louisville 25, No. 3 Pitt 21
An early 9-0 run and 10-4 lead by the Panthers was not enough as Louisville erased Pitt's advantage with an 8-1 run to take a 15-14 lead. The set was tied at 16, 17, and 18 before three unanswered points by the Cardinals made it 21-18. Pitt came as close as 21-23, but a kill and an attack error sealed the match for Louisville.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will await their fate in the 2021 NCAA Volleyball Championship when seeding is announced during the Selection Show, set for 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPNU.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Pitt fell down 2-0 after the Cardinals took the first two sets by a score of 25-19. The Panthers roared back to win the third frame, 25-17, but could not hold on to their momentum and fell, 25-21, in the fourth.
With the win, the Cardinals claimed the outright 2021 ACC title and snapped an eight-match win streak for Pitt. The win also snapped a 33-match win streak in the month of November for the Panthers. Pitt's last loss when playing in November was Nov. 13, 2016, against Duke at Fitzgerald Field House (3-1).
Pitt fell to 0-5 all-time against No. 1-ranked opponents. Wednesday was the second time in program history that Pitt hosted a No. 1 team in volleyball, with the only other meeting being Sept. 6, 1994, vs. No. 1 Stanford. Pitt fell, 3-0, in that match.
Right side hitter Chinaza Ndee led Pitt with 14 kills on .379 hitting and provided a team-best five blocks. Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh had 13 kills and nine digs for a near double-double effort. Freshman Rachel Fairbanks had a career match with eight kills on 11 swings and zero errors for a blistering .727 hitting percentage. She added 12 assists for the Panthers.
Louisville had narrow advantages in kills (55-54), assists (51-50), service aces (6-3), digs (46-43), blocks (11.0-10.0) and hitting percentage (.312-.250).
PITT VOLLEYBALL RESULTS VS. NO. 1 TEAMS
- Sept. 1, 1990 vs. #1 UCLA, L, 3-2 (Madison, Wis.)
- Sept. 6, 1994 vs. #1 Stanford, L, 3-0 (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Nov. 23, 2001 at #1 Long Beach State, L, 3-0 (Long Beach, Calif.)
- Dec. 3, 2017 (NCAA Second Round) at #1 Penn State, L, 3-1 (University Park, Pa.)
- Nov. 24, 2021 vs. #1 Louisville, L, 3-1 (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
SET ONE: No. 1 Louisville 25, No. 3 Pitt 19
Three service errors and a long Louisville run were costly for the Panthers in the first set. Following a 13-11 Pitt lead, the Cardinals responded with a dominant 12-3 run to gain a 23-16 lead. The Panthers came as close as 24-19, but a Cardinal kill ended it. Pitt hit .300 for the first frame while Louisville hit .414.
SET TWO: No. 1 Louisville 25, No. 3 Pitt 19
It was déjà vu for Pitt in the second set as No. 1 Louisville took a 2-0 lead. Following a 12-11 Pitt lead, the Cardinals responded once again with a long run, this time 6-1, to take a 17-13 lead. Four unanswered points later put Louisville up 22-15. The Panthers closed the gap to 23-19 following a 4-1 spurt, but it was too little, too late.
SET THREE: No. 3 Pitt 25, No. 1 Louisville 17
Pitt responded in the third set to cut Louisville's lead in half, 2-1. The Panthers used a 7-1 run to gain full momentum of the set, going up 23-16. Pitt out-hit Louisville .452-.212 for the frame.
SET FOUR: No. 1 Louisville 25, No. 3 Pitt 21
An early 9-0 run and 10-4 lead by the Panthers was not enough as Louisville erased Pitt's advantage with an 8-1 run to take a 15-14 lead. The set was tied at 16, 17, and 18 before three unanswered points by the Cardinals made it 21-18. Pitt came as close as 21-23, but a kill and an attack error sealed the match for Louisville.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will await their fate in the 2021 NCAA Volleyball Championship when seeding is announced during the Selection Show, set for 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPNU.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
LOU
Pitt
Kills
55
54
Errors
16
20
Attempts
125
136
Hitting %
.312
.250
Points
72
67
Assists
51
50
Aces
6
3
Blocks
11
10
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
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