Courtesy: Pittsburgh Athletics
PITTSBURGH – The No. 8 University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (15-0, 4-0 ACC) will kick off Pitt Retro weekend Friday night, wearing Retro-colored uniforms for a match against Syracuse (8-4, 4-0) at 6 p.m. at Fitzgerald Field House.
HOW TO FOLLOW
- Pitt’s match can be seen live on ACC Network Extra via WatchESPN.
- Live stats will be available via PittsburghPanthers.com.
- Fans can follow along with live updates on Twitter @Pitt_VB.
LAST TIME OUT
- A well-rounded effort helped the No. 8 Pitt volleyball team defeat Florida State, improving to 4-0 in ACC play. The Panthers dropped the first set 25-21, but went on to win the next three 25-20, 25-13, 25-17.
- The Panthers had another impressive defensive outing, holding the Seminoles to a .088 hitting percentage and 35 kills. Pitt was able to out-dig Florida State 60 to 33.
- Pitt had four players earn double-doubles, including outside hitter Stephanie Williams who recorded her first of the year with 11 kills and 11 digs.
- Junior middle Layne Van Buskirk led Pitt with a career-high 16 kills while putting up eight blocks and posting a .462 hitting percentage for the match.
A WIN WOULD…
- Extend the Panthers’ best start to a season in school history, improving to 16-0.
- Extend the Panthers’ longest win streak since 1987, when the team won 24 consecutive matches.
- Give Pitt a 5-0 start to ACC play for the second consecutive season.
- Improve the Panthers’ home record to 12-0, and 4-0 against ACC opponents.
- Be Pitt’s fourth consecutive win against Syracuse, dating back to 2015. The Panthers’ last loss against the Orange came Nov. 22, 2015, 3-1, at Fitzgerald Field House.
AND THEN THERE WERE TWO
- No. 8 Pitt is one of two unbeaten teams in the country (15-0), along with No. 1 BYU (15-0).
SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE
- Heading into Friday’s match, three teams are 4-0 in the ACC, including No. 8 Pitt, Louisville, and Syracuse. The Panthers and the Orange will battle it out to remain at the top of the conference.
RANKING THE PANTHERS
- Pitt remains No. 8 for the second consecutive week in the AVCA Coaches Poll. This marks the Panthers’ highest national ranking in program history.
- The Panthers’ top ranking prior to the 2018 season came in 1990 when the squad was No. 17.
- The Panthers debuted at No. 6 in the first release of the NCAA Volleyball Rating Percentage Index (RPI), Monday, Oct 1.
LEADING LUND
- Sophomore outside hitter Kayla Lund leads the ACC in total service aces (22) and aces per set (0.42) this season. Additionally, she’s the Panthers’ leader in total points (244.5), points per set (4.61), kills (214) and kills per set (4.04).
SCOUTING THE ORANGE
- Syracuse (8-4, 4-0 ACC) continued its strong start in conference play, defeating Duke Sunday afternoon in Durham, 3-1.
- The Orange has won six of its last seven matches and is 4-1 on the road this season.
- Pitt will be the fourth ranked opponent Syracuse has faced this season, with an 0-3 record against teams in the AVCA Top 25. The Orange have fallen to No. 3 BYU (3-0), No. 10 USC (3-2), and No. 25 Marquette (3-1).
- Last time out, freshman outside hitter Polina Shemanova recorded a double-double with 25 kills and 18 digs. Senior setter Jalissa Trotter posted 47 assists and eight digs.
THE SERIES – SYRACUSE
- Pitt leads the series between the two teams, 38-11, with the teams’ ACC record tied at 3-3 since the Panthers joined the conference in 2013.
- Pitt has claimed the last two matches in the series and holds a 3-1 advantage against the Seminoles when playing at Fitzgerald Field House.
- The Panthers have not lost to FSU since Nov. 22, 2015, in Pittsburgh (3-1), owning a three-match win streak in the series.
FRIDAY PROMOTIONS
- Retro Weekend: Pitt will wear Retro colors against the Orange
- Retro Water Bottles: The first 200 fans to arrive to Friday’s match will receive a free Retro-colored water bottle
- Online Auction: A Coach Dan Fisher autographed game-used volleyball and 2017 ACC Champions T-Shirt are now available for bidding on the Pitt Athletics Online Auction. To bid, visit PittsburghPanthers.com/ auctions
UP NEXT
- The No. 8 Panthers will remain at home to host Boston College Sunday, Oct. 7, at 1 p.m. The match will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available via the WatchESPN app.
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