Pitt Volleyball Sweeps UMBC to Start NCAA Tournament

The Pitt Panthers began NCAA Tournament play with a sweep of a mid-major.

No. 1 Pitt Volleyball Celebrates a Point in their Sweep of UMBC in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at the Petersen Events Center on Dec. 5, 2025 | Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers started off their NCAA Tournament with a dominant performance, sweeping mid-major foe UMBC in the First Round at the Petersen Events Center.

Pitt improves to 27-4 and has won their past six matches, while UMBC ends their season 13-12 overall, after earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament by winning the American East Championship.

Pitt Puts on a Show in the First Set

The Panthers started off the first set with an 8-3 lead, then after the Retrievers split the next 10 points with them, they went on a 7-0 run, building a 20-8 advantage. The Retrievers got the next two points, but the Panthers scored the next five points, winning the first set, 25-10.

Pitt had an incredibly efficient first set on offense, with 15 kills on 22 swings and no errors, culminating in a fantastic .682 hitting percentage.

Freshman middle blocker Abbey Emch starred in the first set for the Panthers, with five kills, hitting .625 and making three blocks, leading the team.

Much of the Same for Pitt in the Second Set

While Pitt took another early lead in the second set, UMBC stayed in it early on, using a 3-0 run and trimming the deficit to 9-7.

The Panthers then scored six of the next seven points to make it a 15-8 advantage at the media timeout and four of the following five points out of that timeout, taking a 20-10 lead, before holding on for the 25-17 victory.

Pitt hit .406, while making their first three errors of the match, and junior right side Olivia Babcock led the way with five kills and a block.

Pitt Changes it Up, but Still Secures Sweep

The Panthers made some changes in the third set, as sophomore Ryla Jones came in at middle blocker, then redshirt sophomores Sophia Gregoire and Haiti Tautua'a came in for Babcock at right side and senior setter Brooke Mosher later on.

UMBC kept it close and trailed just 7-6 before Pitt went on a 7-0 run, with Jones and junior outside hitter Blaire Bayless each making a kill and a block.

Pitt then increased their lead to 19-8, burning the final UMBC timeout and won the set, 25-13, and the match.

Olivia Babcock Sets New Pitt Record

Babcock had a strong outing against UMBC, finishing with 13 kills, hitting .545, making two blocks, three digs and one ace.

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Those kills gave her 558 on the season, which sets a new record for most kills in Pitt history in any season. She broke the previous record of Wendy Hatlestad, who made 555 kills in the 2003 season.

Babcock also broke her NCAA Tournament record with .545 hitting, which ranks fourth most in an NCAA Tournament match in Pitt history (minimum 12 kills).

Pitt Players of the Game

Pitt hit .518 as a team against UMBC, which broke a new record for the best hitting percentage in program history in an NCAA Tournament match.

Mosher led Pitt's offense and made 34 assists, while adding three kills in the victory.

Bayless had a solid outing, with nine kills and a team-high seven digs, while hitting .500 and making three blocks.

Emch had a sensational performance in her first NCAA Tournament match, with a season-high eight kills on 12 swings for a .667 hitting percentage and a team-high six blocks for the Panthers.

Fellow middle blocker in redshirt senior Bre Kelley had five kills on six swings, .857 hitting percentage and made three blocks herself.

Panthers Continue NCAA Tournament Excellence

Pitt has made 10 straight NCAA Tournaments dating back to 2016 and has made the Second Round 10 straight seasons.

The Panthers also improve to 6-0 all-time over the Retrievers, three straights seasons with a win and the second time they've beaten them in the NCAA Tournament, sweeping them in the 2021 First Round.

Pitt will look to make the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight season, as they face off against Michigan in the Second Round on Dec. 6.

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