No. 1 Pitt Volleyball Sweeps Duke

No. 1 Pitt Panthers volleyball swept Duke to continue winning.

Pitt Volleyball Celebrates after a point / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- No. 1 Pitt Panthers volleyball continued their winning streak, as they swept Duke in front of a sold out crowd at Fitzgerald Field House.

The Panthers (23-1 overall, 13-1 ACC) win their eight straight game against the Blue Devils (9-16 overall, 5-9 ACC) since November 2018. It also improves their record in the all-time series to 16-8, 10-5 since joining the ACC in 2013 and 5-4 at home.

This makes it eight straight wins for Pitt, as they swept both Cal on Oct. 18 and No. 5 Stanford on Oct. 20, defeated No. 4 Louisville in four sets on Oct. 25 and Notre Dame in five sets on Oct. 27, two weeks ago, swept both Virginia on Nov. 1. and Virginia Tech on Nov. 3 on the road and also swept No. 25 North Carolina at home on Nov. 8.

"It was an efficient night for us and I thought we were good offensively and defensively and I think we put some players in we didn't skip a beat, but I especially thought our pin-hitters were really strong tonight...So happy to get the win," Pitt head coach Dan Fisher said.

The Panthers dominated in the first set, taking a 7-1 lead and increasing it to 14-5, burning both Blue Devils' timeouts, and taking it 25-10.

Sophomore outside hitter Torrey Stafford led with five kills on six swings for a .833 hitting percentage. Redshirt junior middle blocker Bre Kelley led with four blocks and Pitt outhit Duke, .429 to -0.065 in the first set.

Duke kept it close initially in the second set at 7-7, but Pitt would go on a 7-0 run to take a 14-7 lead and finished it off with an 8-0 run to win it, 25-11.

The Panthers greatly outhit the Blue Devils, once again, in the second set, .400 to -0.114, as the Blue Devils had seven kills to 10 attack errors. Stafford also excelled, with five kills in the period to lead the Panthers.

Pitt took a 15-6 lead at the media timeout, as Stafford had three kills and a block and sixth year outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez added three kills as well.

Duke tried to cut into the lead, but were unsuccessful, as Pitt would win the third set, 25-13, and take the match.

Stafford had a brilliant game for the Panthers, with 13 kills, a .480 hitting percentage, whil also adding five digs, four assists and three blocks.

She credited senior setter Rachel Fairbanks, who had 20 assists and six digs, for her efficient hitting this season and play in the win vs. the Blue Devils.

"I think we've been growing our connection every game," Stafford said. "Like Fish said, I was in good rhythm with her and we're working a lot in practice get me more available in the back row. So I think that today we showed that and it's just been to continue this. So it's been great."

Pitt held Duke to a -.095 hitting percentage, the lowest they've held an opponent to this season. This is the fifth time they've held an opponent to a negative hitting percetage, all in the ACC.

It is also the lowest hitting percentage for a Panthers' opponent since they held Coppin State to -.099 in the First Round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Kelley and freshman middle blocker Ryla Jones both did well, making six blocks and four blocks, respectively, to lead the Panthers at the net.

Pitt will face another talented team at Fitzgerald Field House next weekend in No. 24 Florida State on Nov. 15, with start set for 5:00 p.m.

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