Pitt continues to make it to the Final Four, but it also continues to lose in the Final Four. This year it was swept by Texas A&M, 27-29, 21-25, 20-25.
It’s a great problem to have, but a very frustrating one because Pitt has repeatedly shown it is a dominant force in college volleyball, but when it comes to this specific game, it’s just not.
“I’m proud of being consistently good and consistently in the hunt,” Pitt head coach Dan Fisher said. “But I’m pretty pissed off about it right now.”
First set
The first set was the exact battle that fans should expect when watching the Final Four — two teams putting their hearts and souls on the floor. Pitt should have the advantage because it has been to this stage before, but Texas A&M did not back down and won the set 29-27.
The Aggies fought off the Panthers’ set point at 27-26 and went on a 3-0 run to win the set with senior libero/defensive specialist Thomas Tatum back on the service line, where she aced the Panthers. The one category where Texas A&M clearly outplayed Pitt was in the serve-receive battle, and that’s what ultimately won the set.
Second set
In the second set, it seemed like the same thing would happen, but Texas A&M just dominated Pitt to close out the set. Tied at 21 apiece after a senior opposite hitter, Logan Lednicky, error, it was Pitt’s chance to go on a run. But the opposite happened.
Once more for the Aggies, it had Tatum on the service line, and Texas A&M went on a 4-0 run to close the set out 25-21.
Third set
Just like the first and second sets, Pitt was close with Texas A&M all the way until the 20-point mark. But, just like the second set, it just couldn’t stay with the Aggies.
Texas A&M went on a dominant 4-0 run to close the match out, with Kyndal Stowers serving and it was appropriate for the game to end like that, as Stowers was easily the best player for the Aggies in the Final Four matchup.
Stowers finished the match with 16 kills and a ridiculous .433 hitting percentage. Pitt’s junior opposite Olivia Babcock still dominated and led the game in kills with 22, but she wasn’t enough for the Panthers to overcome the Aggies.
“It always hurts the same,” Babcock said. “This is my last time playing with my best friend [redshirt senior middle blocker Bre Kelley]. Yeah, it hurts a little harder this year.”
Although Kelley’s career with the Panthers is now over, she was at least able to hang her hat on how proud she was to compete with this team.
“I’m very proud of them. I told them in the locker room, this is one of the most special teams I’ve been on,” Kelley said. “I told every single one of them that every one of them are extraordinary young woman. They showed that all year.”
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