University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
15-1,5-1ACC
SMU
13-3,5-1ACC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | 25 | 25 | 26 | 3 |
| SMU | 12 | 21 | 24 | 0 |
No. 2 Pitt Avenges Loss To No. 6 SMU By Sweeping Mustangs Sunday
10/11/2026 5:44:00 PM | Volleyball
DALLAS, TEXAS – Four days after SMU snapped Pitt's 58-match home win streak, the Panthers returned the favor. No. 2 Pitt dominated wire-to-wire, handing the No. 6-ranked Mustangs a 25-12, 25-21, 26-24 defeat Sunday in a match televised nationally on ABC.
With the eyes of the volleyball world watching how Pitt would respond after its first loss of the season, the Panthers hit .367, recorded 13 blocks (eight in the match-defining first set), and outdug SMU 34-22 after badly losing that statistical battle four days ago.
College volleyball's biggest star stepped up in front of the national television audience. Olivia Babcock had 20 kills, hit .567, and added five blocks, three digs, three assists and an ace. Pitt emphatically slammed the door on any SMU comeback hopes with a 6-0 run to win the third set 26-24.
Pitt improves to 15-1 on the season and 5-1 in ACC play, while SMU falls to 13-3 and has an equal 5-1 mark in the ACC.
FIRST SET
- Three of Pitt's first five points came via the block and the Panthers used a 4-0 run to build a 12-8 advantage.
- Pitt continued to build on it, rolling to a 15-9 lead at the technical timeout.
- A couple more blocks out of the timeout gave Pitt a 17-9 advantage and forced an SMU timeout.
- The Panthers continue to pull away and picked up a 25-12 first set victory.
SECOND SET
- Pitt continued to dominate the early stages of the second set and SMU used a timeout, trailing 11-7.
- The Panthers still led 21-16 but errors, a service error and two attack errors, let SMU close to within two before a Pitt timeout.
- Jordyn Dailey had an emphatic kill out of the break and SMU burned a timeout with Pitt ahead 23-20.
- Izzy Starck put down an overpass on a tough Mallorie Meyer serve and the Panthers posted a 25-21 victory.
THIRD SET
- Ayanna Watson had a pair of aces as Pitt jumped out to an 8-4 lead.
- Pitt built a six-point lead at 11-5 but SMU began to chip away, closing to within two on a kill at 17-15.
- Olivia Babcock weathered the storm momentarily with a kill before SMU struck back with two consecutive points to make it 18-17.
- Babcock was again up to the task with a kill but the Mustangs eventually tied the score at 20-20.
- SMU followed with a kill and a block to take the 22-20 advantage before a Pitt timeout.
- After a Pitt attack error and a service ace, SMU sat on the precipice of forcing a fourth set with a 24-20 lead.
- Babcock had a kill and Blaire Bayless and Abbey Emch combined on a block that forced an SMU timeout.
- Pitt tied the score with a Bayless kill and a Marina Pezelj ace that culminated in another Mustang timeout.
- Babcock had a kill that put Pitt ahead 25-24 and Emch closed out the match with a solo block for the 26-24 win.
NOTABLES
- Babcock had her second consecutive match with at least 20 kills but she was much more efficient Sunday. After hitting just .232 Wednesday, her second-worst attack percentage of the season, she posted her second-best attack percentage of the year at .567 with only three attack errors on 30 swings.
- Despite a slow start, Blaire Bayless finished with 11 kills, four blocks and three digs.
- Izzy Starck handed out 29 assists and added five kills (on just six attacks) and eight digs.
- Abbey Emch finished with nine blocks, tying her season high.
- Trinity Thompson led Pitt with 11 digs.
- Pitt won almost every statistical category, including attack percentage (.367-.200), aces (6-2), digs (34-22) and blocks (13-6).
- SMU entered the night on a 15-match home win streak, the third-longest in the country. The Mustangs' last home loss came a year ago to Pitt.
- Pitt improves to 4-2 all-time against SMU, including a 2-1 record on the road.
- Pitt has hit at least .300 in 10-of-16 matches, entering the match ranked third in the country with a .318 attack percentage.
- Pitt is now 23-3 all-time as the No. 2 ranked team in the country.
UP NEXT
- Pitt returns home to host Florida State Friday at 7 p.m. and Miami on Sunday at noon.
- Pitt will play both match in Victory Heights, where the Panthers are 5-0 this season and is yet to drop a set.
