Pitt
0-2,0-0ACC
#16 Florida
1-1,0-0SEC
No. 3 Pitt Falls to No. 16 Florida in Final Match of AVCA First Serve Showcase
8/24/2025 4:20:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 3 Panthers (0-2) fell to No. 16 Florida (1-1) 3-2 (25-19, 15-25, 25-15, 24-26, 13-15) to wrap up the AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon. Olivia Babcock recorded her 1,000th career kill in the match and registered 25 on the afternoon, including 13 digs, three blocks, three aces and two assists. Freshman libero Izzy Masten led the team with 18 digs, and senior setter Brooke Mosher tied the match high with 44 assists.
The Panthers got out to a hot start in the first set, holding a 10-6 lead going into the first media timeout. The Gators kept chipping away at the lead but were unable to even the score as Pitt went up 20-15 at the second media break. A pair of Florida errors and Babcock kills forced the Gators to take their final timeout, down 18-23. Babcock terminated two more balls to ultimately win the first set, 25-19.
Florida came out of the break with some more momentum and went into the first media timeout up 10-7. Pitt's offense committed a pair of hitting errors, and the Gators began to capitalize on their own opportunities, leading the Panther to call a timeout, down 9-15. Florida went on a 5-2 run to extend its lead to 20-11 at the media break and won the set, 25-15.
Two kills from Dagmar Mourits and an ace from Babcock gave Pitt a 7-3 lead, causing Florida to take its only timeout. A balanced offense from the Panthers in which Brooke Mosher, Ryla Jones and Babcock recorded a kill cemented their 10-4 advantage at the first media timeout. Florida tried to claw its way back into the match, but Abbey Emch's first two career blocks and the rest of the Panther team took care of business and won set three 25-15.
The Panthers carried over their great play from set three, holding steady at 10-7 at the first media timeout. The following stretch of points went back and forth between the teams, meeting at 20-19 at the second media timeout. An ace from Babcock propelled Pitt to match point, but the Gators rattled off three straight points to take the fourth set, 26-24.
Florida got out to an 8-5 lead in the fifth, but the Panthers came within one at 9-10 with a Brooke Mosher ace and tied the match up at 13-13. However, two straight kills from Florida's Jordyn Byrd cemented the 3-2 win for the Gators.
NOTES
• With her 21st kill of the match, Olivia Babcock recorded her 1,000th career kill
• Sophomore middle blocker Ryla Jones had a career-high day with 10 blocks, surpassing her previous personal best of seven
• Izzy Masten took over at libero in the third set and ended up with a team-best 18 digs
• Brooke Mosher notched her first double-double as a Panther with 44 assists and 12 digs
• Dagmar Mourits recorded her first career double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs
• Abbey Emch registered her first career block, ending the match with two
