Saturday, November 18
Pittsburgh, PA
1:00 p.m.
University of Louisville
at
Pittsburgh
No. 4 Cardinals Travel to No. 7 Pitt for Top Ten ACC Showdown
November 17, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 4-ranked University of Louisville volleyball team plays their final two regular season matchups in the next two weeks, as the Cardinals travel to face off against No. 7-ranked Pittsburgh on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by a return home for another Top-10 matchup against No. 9-ranked Georgia Tech on Wednesday (Nov. 22) at 7 p.m. inside L&N Federal Credit Union Arena.
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The Cardinals are 23-3 overall and 14-2 in the ACC this year, coming off back-to-back sweeps over Duke on Friday and North Carolina on Sunday. Over the weekend, outside hitter Charitie Luper led the way offensively with 23 kills and two aces while adding nine digs and five blocks, and middle blocker Cara Cresse recorded 17 kills and 11 blocks while winning ACC Defensive Player of the Week. Outside hitter Anna DeBeer tallied 15 kills, three aces, 13 digs, and two blocks, opposite hitter Aiko Jones totaled 11 kills, three aces, 11 digs, and seven blocks, and middle blocker Phekran Kong added nine kills and five blocks. Libero Elena Scott continued to anchor the defense with 24 digs to go along with 11 assists and four aces, while setter Elle Glock had 58 assists, 18 digs, and five blocks.
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The Cardinals have played both teams once already this year, as Louisville faced off against Pittsburgh last month, earning a 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 sweep over the Panthers inside the KFC Yum! Center, and against Georgia Tech earlier this month, falling 24-26, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19 to the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.
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About the Panthers
Pittsburgh is 22-4 overall and 13-2 in the conference this season, securing notable wins over No.12-ranked Kentucky (2x), No. 6-ranked Oregon, and No. 9-ranked Georgia Tech (2x), with the latter of those two GT wins coming in a sweep Friday night in Atlanta. Head Coach Dan Fisher is in his 11th season at the helm, having taken the program to unprecedented heights in his time there. He has led Pittsburgh to their first three Elite Eight appearances in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and their first two Final Four appearances in the latter two years, all while amassing the most wins in NCAA Division I women's volleyball over the past five previous seasons with 140. The Panthers have a two-headed monster on offense, with right-side hitter Olivia Babcock and outside hitter Torrey Stafford accounting for 302 and 274 kills, respectively. Libero Emmy Klika leads the defense with 272 digs on the year, while middle blocker Emma Monks controls the net with 125 blocks this season.
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About the Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech is 21-4 overall and 12-3 in the conference this season, with the Yellow Jackets falling to Pittsburgh Friday night at home. On top of their win over the Cardinals, the Yellow Jackets also have significant wins over No. 14-ranked Penn State and then No.12-ranked Ohio State (2x). Georgia Tech is led by head coach Michelle Collier, who is entering her 10th season coming off the Yellow Jackets' third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and is the second-winningest coach in program history. Offensively, outside hitters Tamara Otene and Bianca Bertolino lead the way, with the former tallying 320 kills on the year and the latter totaling 294 kills to add to her team-high 58 aces. Libero Paolo Pimental anchors the defense with 403 digs this season, averaging nearly 4.3 per set.
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The Cardinals are 23-3 overall and 14-2 in the ACC this year, coming off back-to-back sweeps over Duke on Friday and North Carolina on Sunday. Over the weekend, outside hitter Charitie Luper led the way offensively with 23 kills and two aces while adding nine digs and five blocks, and middle blocker Cara Cresse recorded 17 kills and 11 blocks while winning ACC Defensive Player of the Week. Outside hitter Anna DeBeer tallied 15 kills, three aces, 13 digs, and two blocks, opposite hitter Aiko Jones totaled 11 kills, three aces, 11 digs, and seven blocks, and middle blocker Phekran Kong added nine kills and five blocks. Libero Elena Scott continued to anchor the defense with 24 digs to go along with 11 assists and four aces, while setter Elle Glock had 58 assists, 18 digs, and five blocks.
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The Cardinals have played both teams once already this year, as Louisville faced off against Pittsburgh last month, earning a 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 sweep over the Panthers inside the KFC Yum! Center, and against Georgia Tech earlier this month, falling 24-26, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19 to the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.
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About the Panthers
Pittsburgh is 22-4 overall and 13-2 in the conference this season, securing notable wins over No.12-ranked Kentucky (2x), No. 6-ranked Oregon, and No. 9-ranked Georgia Tech (2x), with the latter of those two GT wins coming in a sweep Friday night in Atlanta. Head Coach Dan Fisher is in his 11th season at the helm, having taken the program to unprecedented heights in his time there. He has led Pittsburgh to their first three Elite Eight appearances in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and their first two Final Four appearances in the latter two years, all while amassing the most wins in NCAA Division I women's volleyball over the past five previous seasons with 140. The Panthers have a two-headed monster on offense, with right-side hitter Olivia Babcock and outside hitter Torrey Stafford accounting for 302 and 274 kills, respectively. Libero Emmy Klika leads the defense with 272 digs on the year, while middle blocker Emma Monks controls the net with 125 blocks this season.
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About the Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech is 21-4 overall and 12-3 in the conference this season, with the Yellow Jackets falling to Pittsburgh Friday night at home. On top of their win over the Cardinals, the Yellow Jackets also have significant wins over No. 14-ranked Penn State and then No.12-ranked Ohio State (2x). Georgia Tech is led by head coach Michelle Collier, who is entering her 10th season coming off the Yellow Jackets' third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and is the second-winningest coach in program history. Offensively, outside hitters Tamara Otene and Bianca Bertolino lead the way, with the former tallying 320 kills on the year and the latter totaling 294 kills to add to her team-high 58 aces. Libero Paolo Pimental anchors the defense with 403 digs this season, averaging nearly 4.3 per set.
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Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
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