No. 8 Pitt extended its win streak to 11 games, sweeping Florida State at Fitzgerald Field House Sunday afternoon.
Pitt Head Coach Dan Fisher was happy with his workforce’s efficiency in opposition to the Seminoles (12-7, 4-4 ACC). His hope is that the Panthers (18-2, 8-0 ACC) latest run of kind will encourage them in opposition to even higher competitors.
“Winning and especially winning against good teams, hopefully it becomes like a drug,” Fisher mentioned. “All the hard work we’re doing is going towards something so I think [the winning streak] affects us positively and makes us want to get back in the gym and keep working hard.”
After two losses early within the season, the Panthers’ 11-game win streak is an indicator of their power, particularly in convention play. With a lineup of largely new gamers, the early losses confirmed the Panthers the place they wanted to enhance. According to graduate scholar proper facet hitter Courtney Buzzerio, they’ve gotten by the early levels of the season and constructed confidence that can final the remainder of the 12 months.
(*8*) Buzzerio mentioned. “It’s not like it’s been a cakewalk, each match it’s something different and we’ve been able to kind of figure it out and stay tough.”
The Panthers began out scorching within the first set, tallying two kills within the first two factors of the body. From there, the Panthers didn’t let up, firing off kill after kill on an almost .700 hitting proportion. They led by as many as 11 halfway by the set.
Up 21-10 with an opportunity to shut the primary set out with ease, the Seminoles fought again, capitalizing on Pitt’s sloppiness. Rattled, the Panthers dropped 5 factors in a row, 4 of which got here through assault error. Up simply 23-19, the Panthers lastly managed to end the set, successful 25-19 on consecutive kills from Buzzerio.
Fisher credited the Seminoles’ potential to go on point-scoring runs, but in addition acknowledged that his workforce didn’t count on them to struggle as onerous as they did down the stretch.
“We came out well, I honestly just think Florida State made a ton of attacking errors,” Fisher mentioned. “But they have a really physical team so they’re capable of scoring points in bunches and can go on big runs. We probably thought it was going to be a little easier than it was going to be and they pushed us.”
Buzzerio stood out for the Panthers within the first set like she has all season, recording a game-high six kills within the first body. Buzzerio gave credit score to her teammates, saying they’ve belief in each other to make clutch performs when wanted.
“I think we’re a really balanced team,” Buzzerio mentioned. (*11*)
After the primary set, FSU stepped up its recreation. Set two was a battle the entire manner by, regardless of the Panthers leaping out to a 10-4 lead. Still, the Seminoles refused to let up, happening a 9-3 run of their very own and main for the primary time all match at 14-13.
Despite maintaining tempo with the Panthers, FSU was error-prone within the second set. They held a lead for simply three extra factors earlier than the Panthers rattled off three factors in a row, claiming a late benefit. While the start of the second body was shut, the ultimate rating ended up being much more lopsided than the primary body. In complete, there have been seven ties and two lead adjustments within the second body — in stark comparability with the primary, the place Pitt led the complete time. Ultimately, the Panthers took the set 25-18 thanks to a 5-0 run on the finish of the set.
Just just like the second set, the Panthers and Seminoles had been neck and neck within the third, with 12 ties and 7 lead adjustments. Neither workforce led by greater than three factors at any level within the body. Tied at 13, the Panthers dedicated an assault error due to poor communication, however rapidly bounced again with two kills to take again the lead. Still, small victories appeared short-lived, because the Seminoles had been at all times proper on Pitt’s tail — tying the sport simply as rapidly as Pitt took the lead.
After taking a 15-14 lead, the Panthers lastly managed to management the set — notching one other kill, ace and error — giving them a 3 level lead. From there, the Panthers took the sport one level at a time. Buzzerio completed off the Panthers 25-23 third set victory with her sixteenth kill of the sport — twice as many kills as the subsequent highest scorer.
The Panthers proceed their convention slate at house this week on Friday in opposition to Notre Dame. The recreation begins at 7 p.m. and can stream on ACCNX.