Pitt Volleyball Outlasts Penn State in Spring Scrimmage

PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers volleyball faced off against rival Penn State in a spring scrimmage and came out with a thrilling win in five sets at Rec Hall.

Pitt and Penn State reignited their rivalry last year, with each team winning at home in the spring, and then Pitt sweeping Penn State in front of a program record 11,800 fans at the Petersen Events Center on Sept. 18.

The Nittany Lions will host the Panthers in the regular season this fall, also at Rec Hall.

Penn State broke a 4-4 tie in the first set with a 7-1 run to take an 11-5 lead early on. Pitt would rally back with an 8-4 run that trimmed the deficit to just 15-13, but Penn State would outscore Pitt 10-2 the rest of the way for the 25-15 first set victory.

The Panthers would go on a 6-0 run to take a 10-5 lead in the second set. Sophomore middle blocker Dalia Vîrlan made three straight blocks on this run, and combined with Oregon transfer in redshirt sophomore outside hitter Sophie Gregoire.

Pitt built their lead to 14-8, before Penn State rallied back, going on a 13-4 run to take a 19-18 lead. Freshman outside hitter Emmi Sellman, who transferred from Ohio State, led Penn State with two kills and two service aces during the run, while junior middle blocker Maggie Mendelson added two kills herself.

The Panthers, facing a 20-19 deficit, ripped off six straight points for the second time in the set and won it, 25-20, to tie the match up at 1-1.

Redshirt senior libero/defensive specialist Emery Dupes, who transferred in from Florida State, had two service aces during her service run, while graduate student outside hitter Cat Flood made two kills as well for Pitt.

The Panthers began the third set with a 7-1 run and led 13-6, looking for another set victory. The Nittany Lions made six attack errors, as they struggled early on.

Penn State battled back, going on an 11-4 run and tying it up at 17-17, but Pitt would score the next three points and finished the set off on a 8-3 run for the 25-20 victory, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.

Juniors in outside hitter Blaire Bayless and right side hitter Olivia Babcock had two kills each during the lae run for the Panthers.

Penn State would go on their own 7-1 run to start the fourth set and built a 12-4 lead early on. Pitt rallied back, scoring four straight points and then using an 11-4 run to close the gap to 16-15, forcing Penn State to use both of their timeouts.

The Panthers had three service aces and Babcock added three kills on the comeback try.

Penn State would build leads of 20-17 and 23-20, but Pitt battled back each time, getting within one point at 23-22. The home team would come out victorious in the fourth set, thanks to a kill from Mendelson and an attack error from Babcock.

The Nittany Lions built a 10-4 lead to start the fifth set and looked like they'd take the match, before the Panthers responded with a 6-0 run to tie it up, 10-10. Babcock had two kills and a block, while Gregoire added a kill and a block herself.

Sellman made a kill to give Penn State the lead back and end the scoreless drought, but Babcock made a kill and then sophomore libero/defensive specialist Mallorie Meyer got a service ace, giving Pitt an 12-11 lead.

Redshirt freshman outside hitter/right side Caroline Jurevicius tied it back up with a kill for the Nittany Lions, Babcock got the lead back for the Panthers with a kill and then Sellman added a kill to make it 13-13.

Bayless and redshirt senior middle blocker Bre Kelley combined for a block to give Pitt a 14-13 lead and then redshirt sophomore setter Haiti Tautua'a won the set and the match on a solo block.

Babcock led the Panthers with 18 kills and added seven digs. Bayless came in next with 12 kills and added eight digs herself, tying with Dupes for the Pitt lead in the latter category.

Kelley and Vîrlan both made four blocks, while Tautua'a made 28 assists, as she comes back from a season-ending injury.

Pitt will face Ohio State in their next spring scrimmage at Fitzgerald Field House on April 12.

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