No. 4 Pittsburgh dominated No. 6 Wisconsin in a decisive straight-set victory during the second weekend of the college volleyball season. The Panthers won 25-13, 25-21, and 25-16 on August 30th, capping off a winless weekend for the Badgers at the Opening Spike Classic. Pittsburgh’s commanding performance extended their home winning streak to 53 consecutive matches, with Wisconsin unable to mount any significant challenge throughout the contest.
The Badgers struggled significantly on offense, recording a season-low hitting percentage of .079—their weakest performance since 2016. Key contributors including freshman outside hitters Audrey Flanagan and Halle Thompson combined for zero kills and negative production, while the three starting pin hitters accumulated 17 attack errors. Wisconsin’s defensive efforts proved equally problematic, as Pittsburgh’s 12 blocks represented a season-high for any UW opponent. The absence of star middle blocker Jaela Auguste and outside hitter Grace Egan, both sidelined with unspecified injuries, clearly impacted the team’s overall effectiveness on both sides of the net.
Pittsburgh’s offensive firepower was spearheaded by right-side hitter Olivia Babcock, the reigning AVCA National Player of the Year. Babcock recorded 17 kills while maintaining an impressive .361 hitting percentage, along with two service aces and five digs. Meanwhile, Wisconsin failed to generate offensive momentum from the service line, recording zero aces compared to Pittsburgh’s four. The Badgers’ reliance on their serving attack, which had proven effective in previous matches, never materialized against the Panthers’ composed passing.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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