No. 11 Mustangs Come Up Brief At No. 5 Pitt

PITTSBURGH (SMU) – No. 11 SMU Volleyball fell to No. 5 Pitt in 4 units (20-25, 22-25, 28-26, 21-25) contained in the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon. The Mustangs moved their document to 8-4 on the yr and 0-2 within the ACC whereas the Panthers improved to 10-2 and 2-0 in convention motion.
 
Malaya Jones and Jadyn Livings led an offensive assault for the Mustangs that completed the match hitting .268 with 14 kills every. Livings added 11 digs to her stat line, incomes her second double-double of the season and the sixth of her profession.
 
Favor Anyanwu reached double-figures for the second time this season and third of her profession Sunday afternoon with 10 kills, swinging at a .529 p.c clip. Averi Carlson racked up 48 assists within the four-setter to go together with six digs and 4 blocks.

MATCH NOTES: 

• Under Head Coach Sam Erger, SMU is 49-12 in convention matches.
• Maggie Croft has had an ace in 4 straight matches.
• It was Jones’ ninth time in double figures this season. Jadyn Livings prolonged her streak of double-digit kills to eight straight.
• Jordyn Schilling reached double-digit digs for the seventh time this season.
• With two aces in opposition to the Panthers on Sunday, Casey Batenhorst has a number of aces in 4 matches on the season.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | After a 4-2 begin by SMU within the first set, Pitt used a 5-0 run to achieve a three-point lead (7-4). The Mustangs fought for one more benefit with a powerful stretch, scoring eight of the following 11, nevertheless, the Panthers regained the lead as soon as extra and by no means gave it up. The Mustangs bought to inside one on kill from Livings and a solo block from Carlson to power Pitt right into a timeout (18-17), however the Panthers ended the set properly scoring on seven of the ultimate 10 to win the body 25-20. Both blocks had been dominant within the first set as there have been a mixed 11 rejections within the opener.
 
SET TWO | The Panthers opened the second set with a 3-0 lead and stretched it to as a lot as 5 earlier than SMU started to chip away. The Mustangs bought inside some extent at 20-19 on a kill from Jones however, Pitt responded with three straight kills from three totally different gamers to go up 4 within the redzone (23-19). SMU held on for one set level, however Pitt closed the set on the second to win the body 25-22.
 
SET THREE | A strong providers run for Batenhorst gave SMU an early benefit as she guided the Mustangs to a 9-5 lead with back-to-back aces on the tail finish of the stretch. Pitt closed the hole beginning on the 11-8 mark the place it bought three straight kills from Olivia Babcock to surge inside one. After a block from Anyanwu and Jones, adopted by an assault error by the Panthers, the golf equipment commerce factors into extras. Pitt fought off two set factors after which added one other level on a kill from Babcock to place themselves within the driver seat at set level inside a possibility for a sweep. SMU bought the run they wanted with three straight to shut out the body 28-26. A kill from Newsome in between two kills from Jones detailed the run. Jones led the Mustangs within the set with six kills, adopted by Anyanwu who went for 5 terminations.

SET FOUR | Pitt opened the fourth set, just like the second with a 3-0 begin. SMU stayed in competition, down two at 11-9, till a 5-0 run for the Panthers gave them the cushion they wanted to shut out the match. SMU confirmed nice struggle late with 4 straight after being down six at 23-17 to get to the 20-point threshold, however Pitt managed the stretch and ended the match, using the suitable arm the 2024 National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock who ended the match along with her 29^th kill to clinch the set 25-21.

SMU LEADERS:

SMU Kills Leader: Malaya Jones/Jadyn Livings (14)

SMU Assist Leader: Averi Carlson (48)

SMU Digs Leader: Jordyn Schilling/Jadyn Livings (11)

SMU Blocks Leader: Favor Anyanwu (8)

SMU Ace Leader: Casey Batenhorst/Malaya Jones (2)

SMU Points Leader: Malaya Jones (19)

Up Next: SMU returns residence Friday for a matchup with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at 7 p.m. CT. The match will probably be broadcasted on ACCNX.