No. 4 Pitt Beats No. 15 Kansas For 53rd Straight Home Victory

Friday, August 28

Pittsburgh, Pa.

6:30 PM

Pitt

3-0,0-0ACC

Kansas

0-1,0-0Big 12

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Kansas	17	25	23	20	1
Pittsburgh	25	14	25	25	3

No. 4 Pitt Beats No. 15 Kansas For 53rd Straight Home Victory

8/28/2026 9:43:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Postgame Press Conference Photo Gallery

PITTSBURGH – No. 4 Pitt continued its early-season success, beating No. 15 Kansas in four sets 25-17, 14-25, 25-23, 25-20 Friday night in the first match of the Opening Spike Classic at Petersen Events Center. Pitt extended its home win streak to 53 matches and stayed undefeated inside Petersen Events Center over the past seven years, a streak of 22 consecutive wins.

Pitt improved to 3-0 with the win, which includes a pair of wins over top 15 teams. Kansas was playing its first match of the year, falling to 0-1.

FIRST SET

Pitt held an early 8-7 lead but had four kills in a 5-0 run to take a six-point lead.
The Panthers built the lead to as many as seven and then earned the final three points of the set for a 25-17 win.

SECOND SET

Kansas had kills on five consecutive points to get in front early 7-3.
The Jayhawks continued to build the lead and Pitt called a timeout with a six-point deficit at 12-6.
Pitt was never able to rally and Kansas evened the match with a 25-14 win.

THIRD SET

Pitt rebounded to lead 7-4, but Kansas rallied with three straight to tie the score.
The Panthers responded again as Maaike Heilig had back-to-back blocks during a 3-0 run for the 10-7 advantage.
Kansas tied the score at 13-13 but Abbey Emch assisted on a block and then posted a kill as the Panthers led 15-13.
Pitt continued to hold a slim lead but Kansas hung tight and used a 3-0 run for a 21-20 Jayhawks advantage.
Pitt tied it at 21-21 but Kansas went ahead 23-21 before a service error cut the Pitt deficit to one.
After a furious rally, Bayless tied the score with a kill and then Babcock posted a kill on an overpass for a 24-23 Pitt lead. Kansas then attacked wide for the 25-23 Pitt win.

FOURTH SET

With the set tied at 8-8, Pitt scored three straight and then used a 5-0 run for a 16-10 advantage.
Kansas would not go away and the Jayhawks scored seven of the next nine points to get within one at 18-17.
Pitt led 20-19 before a Kansas service error was followed by two Bayless kills for a 23-19 lead. The Panthers closed it out for a 25-20 victory.

NOTABLE

Olivia Babcock had a match-high 19 kills, hit .333, and added nine digs, two aces and three blocks.
Blaire Bayless added 14 kills and seven digs. She had three kills among Pitt's final four points to win the match.
Izzy Starck had three double-doubles in as many matches to start the year, finishing with 45 assists and 11 digs. She also had four blocks.
Maaike Heilig had a team-high five blocks and added a career-best six kills.
Mallorie Meyer led Pitt with 12 digs.
Kansas outhit Pitt .224-.220 but had 17 service errors to just eight for the Panthers.
Pitt dominated with a 59-44 advantage in digs and both teams had 10 blocks.
Pitt has now won 22 straight matches inside Petersen Events Center with all 22 matches coming either in the NCAA Tournament or against a ranked opponent in the regular season. Kansas is the 14^th ranked opponent Pitt has beaten during the run.
Pitt improved to 50-6 in regular season non-conference matches since the start of the 2021 season. That includes a record of 18-5 against ranked opponents.

UP NEXT

Pitt will close out the Opening Spike Classic by hosting No. 6 Wisconsin Sunday at noon.
That match comes before No. 5 Stanford faces No. 15 Kansas in the second contest of the day.