The Associated Press, Gary B. Graves
Louisville, Kentucky. Top-seeded Louisville defeated No. 1 overall seed Pittsburgh 3-1 on Thursday night to advance to their second NCAA volleyball final in three years. Anna DeBeer recorded 14 kills before leaving due to a right ankle injury, while Payton Peterson recorded consecutive aces in her place.
In the title game on Sunday, the host Cardinals (30-5) will take on Penn State, who defeated Nebraska 3-2. They ended a four-game losing streak against the Panthers, including two this season.
Olivia Babcock, an All-American right setter and outside hitter, recorded 33 kills for the Panthers (33-2), ending their 18-game winning streak. They were the top seed going into the event and advanced to their fourth straight national semifinal, but they were unable to build on their impressive first set, in which they hit.373 with nine Babcock kills.
Pitt coach Dan Fisher stated, “They were completely unstoppable on the first voll(ey), but we beat them in transition by a huge margin.” We simply had to have more of those. We found it difficult to accept what transpired in the second and third sets after you all witnessed them.
After DeBeer fell down early in the fourth set with what a university official after the match described as a right ankle injury, Louisville took control and defeated Pitt 25-23, 29-27, and 25-17, overcoming a 25-21 setback in the opening set.
After being assisted off the court and into the locker room, the graduate All-American hitter went back to the sidelines to support her teammates. After the game, Cardinals coach Dani Busboom-Kelly stated that she was uncertain if DeBeer would be able to make it to the title game.
The Cardinals hit.320 in the game and.425 on kills, with Sofia Maldonado Diaz and Charitie Luper each recording 14 kills. They never fell behind in the last set, but after their top player departed the court with Louisville ahead 2-0, they found another gear.
After replacing her, freshman Peterson scored three straight service points, including back-to-back aces, to give the team a 9-3 lead. In the end, Louisville accumulated an 18-10 lead en route to a resounding victory.
Peterson, who had 4.5 points, stated, “At first, I thought she was going to be fine, she’s going to get back up.” And I wanted to do something for her when I realized she wouldn’t return. I didn’t want that to be the final game she played.
Louisville recorded 17 kills with just one error in the final set, led by Nayelis Cabello with 44 assists and Cara Cresse with six blocks.
Before Pitt broke a 14-all tie with the first of numerous brief spurts gaining charge with six consecutive points, the teams fought back and forth in the opening set. Louisville narrowly missed four set points before Babcock’s kill, assisted by Rachel Fairbanks, clinched the victory.
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