Pitt is headed to the Final Four
For the second consecutive season, Pitt volleyball is beyond elite.
In a five-set thriller played in front of more than 7,000 fans pulling for the opponents, the Panthers knocked off defending national champion Wisconsin on Saturday night to advance to the NCAA Semifinals with a 3-2 victory.
The game, which was played at Wisconsin’s Field House in Madison, saw the two teams split the first four sets, with the No. 1 seed Badgers taking the first and fourth and the No. 2 seed Panthers winning the second and third.
In the fifth and deciding set, Pitt took an early 7-2 lead before Wisconsin battled back, eventually turning an 11-6 Panther advantage into a 12-11 lead of their own.
The teams would battle through ties at 12-12 and 13-13, but back-to-back kills by Valeria Vazquez Gomez and Courtney Buzzerio gave Pitt the final two points and a trip to the Final Four.
"What a game," head coach Dan Fisher said. "Huge congratulations to Wisconsin on a great season. We have a lot of respect for that program. It's easy to see why they're great. You can see what a volleyball town this is and it was an honor to be here. I don't know how much I can tell you about the Xs and Os. We just found a way. I'm proud of this team. I'm proud that we're doing it in the lineup we're in. Cam Ennis hasn't played outside all year and she's being a true warrior. We're showing a lot of heart in some tough moments. I'm so incredibly proud.”
Ennis had nine kills and one block for the Panthers, while Buzzerio led the way with 18 kills, one block and one ace. Vazquez Gomez also had 11 kills and a block, and Chiamaka Nwokolo recorded 12 kills and three blocks.
Now Pitt is headed to Omaha, Neb., where the Panthers will face a familiar opponent on Dec. 15:
Louisville.
The Panthers and Cardinals shared the ACC championship this year and both advanced to the Final Four last season, making this the first time one conference has sent teams to back-to-back Final Fours since the Big 10 did it in 2018 and 2019.
Pitt split the regular-season series against Louisville this year, beating the Cardinals 3-2 at Fitzgerald Field House in October and losing to them in Louisville 3-0 last month.
From the other side of the bracket, No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed San Diego advanced and will meet in the first game on Dec. 15.
The Panthers will enter the Final Four after going 11-2 in their last three NCAA Tournament matches, tied for the second-most wins in Division I over that span.