Pitt Volleyball Takeaways: Players Shine in Blue-Gold Game

The Pitt Panthers volleyball team competed in their annual blue-gold intrasquad scrimmage with some standout performances.

Pitt Volleyball Blue Team Celebrates Victory over Gold in Scrimmage / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers competed in their annual Blue-Gold intrasquad scrimmage this past weekend at Fitzgerald Field House, kicking off the volleyball season.

The scrimmage gives fans a chance to see the team for the first team ahead of the start of the regular season. It also allows the Pitt players to compete in an open environment for the first time since starting fall camp.

There were many exceptional performances and players that stood out throughout the scrimmage, with many players returning from last year's Final Four run.

The Best Players are Still the Best

The top players within the Pitt volleyball program showed throughout the scrimmage that they are still the best on the team and will continued to do so in the regular season.

Sophomore right side Olivia Babcock still has the power in her swing and her top-spin serve to dominate opposing blocks. Senior setter Rachel Fairbanks put up many great passes yet again, while fellow senior in libero/defensive specialist Emmy Klika starred in the back row.

Outside hitters in sixth year Valeria Vazquez Gomez and sophomore Torrey Stafford both showed their strong swings, defense at the net and in the back row, and their improved serving as well.

Having five of your starters from a Final Four season come back is always a boost, but even better when they continue to improve heading into another crucial year, as the program looks to win its first National Title.

Players Returning From Injury Look Fantastic

Middle blocker Bre Kelley came into 2023 with high hopes after transferring in from Florida, but she suffered a serious injury in the fourth match on the road against Kentucky, ending her season.

She played a decent amount in the spring, but still wasn't 100% back from her injury. In the Blue-Gold game, she looked further along and showed why head coach Dan Fisher brought her in last season.

Kelley excelled at the net, made great kills with high efficiency and was strong on the block as well.

Stafford dealt with a benign tumor on her tibia in the offseason, which caused a stress fracture, leading to her having surgery in February, according to an interview she gave with Abby Schnable of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

She didn't play in the spring and continually improved throughout the summer. She looked great in the Blue-Gold game and as long as she keeps everything under control, she should have another All-American season.

Middle Blocker Battle Still Going Strong

Competition has the potential to bring out the best in us and for freshman middle blockers Ryla Jones and Bianca Garibaldi, it surely is doing that.

The two continue to battle it out for that second middle blocker spot and a place in the starting lineup coming into this season.

The progression of the duo from the spring, when they came in, to fall camp is obvious to see, as their playing at a higher standard and looking amazing on the court as well.

Garibaldi displayed her jumping ability throughout, putting any doubt that her 5-foot-11 stature would hurt her at a position usually dominated by the tallest players on the court.

Jones is a force at the net, especially on the attack, as she makes intelligent decisions and gets kills with ease.

These two will battle it out all season, but it will make not just themselves better, but the team as well, having multiple options ready to go at middle blocker.

Newcomers Make Mark in First Apperance in front of Fans

Pitt brought in four new players this offseason following spring ball. This includes incoming freshmen in right side/setter Kiana Dinn and libero/defensive specialist Mallorie Meyer, middle blocker Dalia Vîrlan and Texas A&M transfer setter Nisa Buzlutepe.

Dinn played both positions in the Blue-Gold scrimmage and did quite well, much like Fairbanks in a 6-2 rotation. Standing at just 5-foot-9, her verticality allows her to play at the net as a right side. She does prefer playing setter and looks like she'll continue to play their more often.

Meyer excelled in the back row and played fantastic defense throughout the scrimmage, giving her a chance to potentially succeed Klika after this season.

Buzlutepe started off a little slow coming off the bench, but really played a role for the blue team in the victory. She made good passes, but dominated at the net, as she stands at 6-foot-2. She gives Pitt a solid option at back-up setter, with sophomore Haiti Tautua'a currently out with an injury and not playing in the scrimmage.

Vîrlan had some difficult moments in the game, but she has the potential to really develop into a great middle blocker. She isn't where Jones and Garibaldi are right now, but she gives the Panthers a fourth option at the position, after Rachel Jepsen chose to depart the team and go on her mission at the end of April.

Blaire Bayless Wild Card

Sophomore outside hitter Blaire Bayless didn't play that much as a freshman, but she will want to increase that in her second season with the program.

She is currently competing for playing time at both outside hitter and right side and will step in if needed due to injury or otherwise.

Bayless has a powerful swing like a right side hitter, but has also improved on her defense in the back row, like a true outside hitter.

Her versatility gives her the chance to play more this season and it doesn't hurt to incoroporate a top-spin serve, as well as a float serve to score against opponents.

Serving Excels Yet Again

Pitt brings back its two serving specialists from last season in graduate student/fan favorite Cat Flood, as well as junior Dillyn Griffin.

The two showed their dominant serves in the scrimmage and that they're ready for another season of forcing teams out-of-system and getting some aces along the way.

The Panthers, as a team, look great all-around from the service line. Vazquez Gomez, Stafford and Fairbanks also have the ability to go a serving run, while Klika had three service aces in the scrimmage, after having just three all of last season.

Having a great serving team makes a big difference when it matters most, in the NCAA Tournament. If they can keep this service performance going into the regular season, few teams will have the chance to consistently defend it.

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