Back to .500: Penn State Volleyball Falls to Pitt at Rec Hall, Double’s Last Year’s Loss Total

UNIVERSITY PARK– What’s been a disappointing season for Penn State volleyball didn’t get better Wednesday night in Rec Hall, with No. 5 Pitt beating No. 14 Penn State in three sets.

It’s the second high-profile matchup Penn State (4-4) has lost at home in the past 10 days, with the team getting swept by Kentucky Sept. 5.

As usual, Pitt’s (7-2) Olivia Babcock was the star of the night, ending with 16 kills and 13 digs.

For Penn State volleyball, Kennedy Martin had 16 kills and five digs.

Penn State now has lost twice the matches it did during last year’s national championship campaign.

Pitt got off to a hot start, leading 8-3. In what’s been a recurring theme all season, Penn State struggled with errors, making three attack errors and a service error in the early going.

Penn State fought back, taking a 15-14 lead and sending Rec Hall into a frenzy. But Pitt regained control after that, scoring four of the next five points to retake the lead, 18-16. The see-saw battle continued, with Penn State winning the next two points to tie it back up. A little later, it was tied at 20. Pitt got control again, taking a 22-20 lead.

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But Pitt scored five of the last six points– the final one being on another Penn State attack error– to take the set.

Caroline Jurevicius and Maggie Mendelson each had five kills for Penn State, and Ava Falduto had four digs. For Pitt, Ryla Jones had four kills, with Olivia Babcock and Dagmar Mourtis each adding three. Babcock, who most feel is the nation’s top overall player, also had nine assists.

Penn State continued to fight in the second set, coming from 7-4 down to take an 11-9 lead. But Pitt was ready to answer, scoring 13 of the next 17 points to take a 22-13 lead. Pitt ended up winning the set, 25-17.

Penn State avoided the sweep with a thrilling 25-23 win in the third set.

But Pitt got back on track to close it out in the last set, 25-17.

Penn State looks to bounce back Friday night against Princeton in Rec Hall. First serve is scheduled for 7.