Since the start of the 2017 season, the Pitt women’s volleyball team has been close to unbeatable in its Fitzgerald Field House. Sunday afternoon, No. 18 Georgia Tech made team history there, upending the No. 2 Panthers in five sets in a signature win for coach Michelle Collier, now in her eighth season.
“We’re feeling great,” Collier told the AJC by phone Sunday. “Very proud of ourselves.”
Pitt became the highest-ranked team that the Jackets (13-3 overall, 4-2 ACC) have defeated in the team’s 42-year history, topping a win at No. 5 Nebraska in 2003. Pitt entered Sunday’s match 15-0 overall and 5-0 in the ACC. The Panthers had won their previous four matches by 3-0 sweep. Since 2017, the Panthers were 61-4 at home before Sunday. They had won or shared the ACC championship 2017-19 before finishing third last season. In ACC, Pitt was 72-7 since 2017 before accepting its eighth loss in that span Sunday.
“They know how to win, they know how to compete, they’re going to continue to have a great season,” Collier said of the Panthers. “But we’re going to take this one home and celebrate.”
The 21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 18-25, 15-9 win was a confirmation for the Jackets, who last year made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. They upset then-No. 12 Penn State in August and last week was swept 3-0 at home to No. 3 Louisville, losing the second game 36-34 (standard games go to 25, but must be won by two points) and the third 25-22. The loss told Collier that her team was close to beating a team of Louisville’s caliber, potential that was actualized Sunday.
“I think it reassures us,” Collier said of the win over Pitt. “It’s kind of a little bit of a reassurance that the things we’re seeing in our gym, they’re real. They’re there. This group of kids is special and they have so more to still learn and grow and get better.”
Sunday, Tech’s star outside hitters, All-American Mariana Brambilla and All-ACC selection Juliana Bergmann, combined for 43 of the team’s 69 kills.
“Juli and Mari did their thing, but I really think that the difference maker was our middles,” Collier said. “Erin Moss, Breland Morrissette, they really did a great job offensively, did a great job defensively. Our setter Matti McKissock really distributed the ball well.”
Tech is in a three-way tie for fourth with Florida State and Notre Dame. The Jackets have one match remaining with each of the three teams ahead of them, Louisville (first place), Pitt and Miami (tied for second place) in their pursuit of their first ACC title (the championship is determined by regular-season conference play) since 2004.
“I don’t think it’s something that’s a done deal yet,” Collier said. “I think that people are going to have to earn their wins. Our conference is well-balanced and competitive. This win, it doesn’t make our next match any less important. So we’ve just got to be taking it one match at a time.”
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