The fall sports season is coming into focus. On Monday, the men's soccer team found out it earned the No. 2 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The Panthers volleyball team swept another pair of matches over the weekend with only two weeks left in the regular season.
Here is this week's report.
Volleyball
Record: 25-1 (15-1 ACC)
Ranking: No. 1 (AVCA)
Last week: Defeated No. 22 Florida State 3-0; Defeated Miami 3-0
Schedule
Friday 11/22: @Wake Forest 7:00 p.m. (ACCNX)
Sunday 11/24: @NC State 1:00 p.m. (ACCNX)
The No. 1 ranked Pitt volleyball team kept doing its thing over the weekend. The Panthers pulled off a pair of sweeps taking down No. 22 Florida State and then Miami in consecutive sets.
Pitt has now won ten matches in a row, and the last six have come via the sweep. In order to point out the Panthers’ dominance, of the 25 wins they have this season, 22 have been by a 3-0 margin, meaning only four teams all season have even gotten a set in against this team.
On Friday night, Pitt also flexed its muscles with a takedown of a ranked opponent by crushing Florida State. The Panthers have collected nine wins over top 25 opponents this season, with six of those coming at home.
Like usual, Pitt was led by talented sophomore Olivia Babock, who had 39 kills over both matches on the weekend. She was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week for that showing. In addition to that, the talented sophomore was named the AVCA Player of the Week for the third time in her career as well.
Fellow Panther Rachel Fairbanks also collected some honors as she was named ACC Setter of the Week. It was the fourth time this season the senior has been awarded that honor.
The Panthers are officially in the stretch run with only four regular season matches left this season. Pitt heads to North Carolina this week for a Friday evening match against Wake Forest, before taking on NC State in Raleigh on Sunday afternoon. Wake Forest is just 13-14 on the season, while NC State is supporting a 14-10 record.
Men’s soccer
Record: 12-5 (6-2 ACC)
Last week: N/A
Schedule: Sunday 11/24 Cornell/Fordham 5:00 p.m.
Pitt’s early exit in the ACC Tournament did little to harm the team’s standing in the Big Dance. The Panthers watched the NCAA Tournament selection show on Monday and saw that they were the No. 2 overall seed in the 48-team event.
The NCAA Tournament begins on Thursday, and by virtue of holding a national seed, Pitt has a bye in the opening round. The Panthers will take on either Cornell or Fordham on Sunday at Ambrose Urbanic Field set for a 5:00 p.m. start. Cornell and Fordham will play on Thursday in Ithaca for the right to take on the Panthers.
In the history of Pitt’s men’s soccer program, the Panthers have only made the NCAA Tournament eight times, but they have made six in a row.
Pitt has done well in its recent stretch of success. The Panthers are 5-1 in NCAA Tournament games hosted in Oakland. Jay Vidovich’s program is also one of four in the country to make two College Cup appearances since 2000 joining Clemson, Indiana, and Notre Dame.
Pitt, the regular season champions, will enter the tournament as one of the favorites. Winning the ACC title in the regular season is no easy feat, considering the league earned nine bids to the NCAA Tournament, more than any other conference.
