Pitt Volleyball Sweeps Oklahoma, Makes Sweet 16

Pitt Panthers volleyball swept Oklahoma to make the Sweet 16.

Dominic Campbell | Dec 7, 2024

No. 1 Pitt Volleyball Sweeps No. 3 Penn State in the Keystone Classic at the Petersen Events Center / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- No. 1 Pitt Panthers volleyball swept No. 8 Oklahoma in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament to make their fifth straight Sweet 16.

Pitt (31-1) defeats Oklahoma (15-11) for just the second time, as they won in four sets on Aug. 31, 2018 at the Seton Hall Classic in South Orange, N.J.

Pitt came out the better of the two teams in the first set, taking leads of 5-2 and 10-5 before building it up to 19-13.

Oklahoma would fight back, going on a 6-1 run and trimming the deficit to just 20-19. Graduate student outside hitter Kari Geissberger led her team on the run with two kills and a block.

The Panthers would keep their lead and had it at set point twice at 24-22, but the Sooners sophomore middle blocker KJ Burgess made a kill and then graduate student middle blocker Lydia Martyn played a part in back-to-blocks, giving the road team a 25-24 lead and set point.

Oklahoma freshman outside hitter Kamille Gibson would get a kill to make it set point No. 2, 26-25, after a service error, but Pitt sophomore outside hitter Torrey Stafford made a kill to tie it back up at 26-26.

Redshirt junior middle blocker Bre Kelley and senior setter Rachel Fairbanks made a block on the next point to make it set point for the Panthers.

Sixth year outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez originally had her kill marked out, but a timely challenge from Panthers head coach Dan Fisher would correct the call and they won the first set, 28-26.

Vazquez Gomez led the Panthers with five kills in the first set and hit .667 herself, finishing it off with the crucial kill to win it.

The Sooners led 6-4 to start the second set, with junior outside hitter Alexis Shelton making a kill and a solo block. The Panthers responded with a 6-1 run, with freshman middle blocker Ryla Jones making a kill and a block to take a 10-7 lead.

Oklahoma then went on a 5-1 run themselves, taking back the lead at 12-11. Geissberger made two blocks and a kill, Shelton made a kill and a blocks and Martyn had a service ace and a kill.

Pitt then had a 5-1 run to retake the lead at 16-13, with Stafford making two kills and sophomore right side hitter Olivia Babcock making a kill and a block.

The Sooners tried to keep it close, but Babcock came through for the Panthers with two more kills and a service ace, while Vazquez Gomez added a kill and a service ace herself, to win the second set, 25-21.

Both teams kept it close throughout the third set, keeping it tied at 13-13. Pitt then went on an 8-1 run to build a 21-14 lead, with Babcock making two kills and an ace.

Pitt would go on to win the third set, 25-19, and win the match in a sweep.

Fairbanks finished with 36 assists in the sweep, while adding four digs and two blocks. Kelley also had a good match, with six kills, hitting .545 and making five blocks

Babcock led with 13 kills and both Vazquez Gomez and Stafford finished with 10 kills each. Babcock added four blocks and Stafford made nine digs.

Pitt will face No. 4 Oregon in the Sweet 16 (Third Round) next weekend, which will also take place at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt swept then ranked No. 10 Oregon in the season opener on the road on Aug. 30.

No. 1 #Pitt Volleyball sweeps No. 8 Oklahoma in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament at the Petersen Events Center to make their fifth straight Sweet 16

They will host No. 4 Oregon next week pic.twitter.com/1TLfcwkz51
— Dominic Campbell (@DOMISMONEY) December 8, 2024