University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
14-0,4-0ACC
Syracuse
5-8,0-4ACC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Syracuse | 20 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
No. 2 Pitt Sweeps Aside Syracuse
10/4/2026 4:06:00 PM | Volleyball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 2 Pitt got contributions throughout its lineup Sunday as the Panthers defeated Syracuse 25-20, 25-20, 25-20 Sunday to improve to 14-0 on the season and 4-0 in ACC play. Syracuse fell to 5-8 and 0-4 in conference action with the loss.
Pitt Head Coach Dan Fisher adjusted his libero rotation, inserted Marina Pezelj into the starting lineup for the first time in 2026 and played 14 different Panthers. The team responded by hitting .339, winning the dig, aces and blocks battles. As well, senior Olivia Babcock tied Pitt's program record with her 175th career service ace, matching Lindsey Zitzke's total from 2011-14.
FIRST SET
- Pitt led 9-7 before going on a 3-0 run with an ace from Trinity Thompson, to build a five-point advantage.
- Syracuse never got closer than four the rest of the way as the Panthers won 25-20.
SECOND SET
- Syracuse scored the first three points of the set and built a 6-2 lead early.
- Pitt still trailed 9-6 before going on a 9-0 run behind the effective serving of Izzy Stark to take over. Ayanna Watson had three kills during the run as the Panthers took control.
- Syracuse cut the deficit to two at 19-17 but Pitt scored four straight and cruised to the 25-20 victory.
THIRD SET
- Pitt used a 4-0 run to grab an 8-3 lead.
- Syracuse got back within two and trailed by that margin at 20-18.
- The Panthers answered with kills from Olivia Babcock and Blaire Bayless during a three-point spurt that put the match away with another 25-20 win.
NOTABLE
- Olivia Babcock had a match-high 18 kills and hit .500 for the contest. She added four digs, a block and the record-tying ace.
- Freshman Ayanna Watson had 12 kills and hit .588.
- Abbey Emch hit .462 with seven kills out of the middle, adding an ace.
- Maaike Heilig led the team with three blocks and Izzy Masten had a team-best seven digs.
- The Panthers have now won 27 consecutive sets, the most since establishing the program record with 36 straight sets won to open the 2024 season.
- Pitt improved to 43-13 all-time against Syracuse and has won nine in a row.
- At 14-0, Pitt passed the 1975 team for the fourth-best start in program history. With another win, the Panthers would tie both the 2021 and 2024 teams for the second-best start.
- Pitt is now 167-20 (.893) since the start of the 2021 season, the best record in NCAA Division I women's volleyball over that time frame. Pitt is also 89-9 (.908) in ACC play during that span.
- In breaking the school's single-season kills record a year ago, Olivia Babcock had 237 kills through 14 matches. She is almost matching that total with 235 kills through 14 matches this year.
- On the season, Pitt has a nation's best .325 attack percentage. Nebraska and Louisville are both at .323.
- Olivia Babcock now has 1,839 career kills. Diana Andreyko (2004-07) holds the school record with 1,852.
UP NEXT
- No. 2 Pitt will host No. 5 SMU (12-2, 4-0 ACC) Wednesday night at 7 p.m. inside Petersen Events Center. That match will be televised on the ACC Network.
- The two teams will head to Dallas after that to play each other again on Sunday at 3 p.m. That match is scheduled for an ESPN broadcast.
