In a thrilling match that went the distance, the No. 4 University of Louisville volleyball team suffered a tough 3-2 loss to No. 7 ranked Pitt. The Cardinals, led by outside hitter Anna DeBeer’s career-high 29 kills, put up a strong fight but ultimately fell short before a school record crowd of 8,865 at the Petersen Events Center.
Despite the loss, the Cardinals showcased their offensive firepower, hitting .315 with 77 kills. Alongside DeBeer, Charitie Luper had 24 kills and 13 digs, while Cara Cresse and Aiko Jones combined for eight kills. Elena Scott contributed 24 digs, and Elle Glock tallied an impressive 60 assists.
On the other side of the net, Pitt proved to be a formidable opponent, hitting .265 with five aces and eight blocks. Olivia Babcock led the Panthers with 23 kills, followed closely by Torrey Stafford with 21 kills. Emma Monks also made an impact with eight kills and five blocks.
With this loss, Louisville’s season record now stands at 23-3, with a conference record of 14-3 in the ACC. Their next match is against Georgia Tech next Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena.
The match saw ups and downs for both teams, with each set closely contested. In the first set, Louisville found themselves trailing early but managed to rally back and secure a 25-19 win. DeBeer played a crucial role in this set, recording nine kills and helping the Cardinals hit an impressive .462.
The second set was just as intense, with both teams exchanging leads. However, Louisville managed to come out on top, winning 26-24. Luper and DeBeer continued to shine, contributing seven and six kills, respectively.
The third set was closely contested, with neither team able to gain a significant advantage. Ultimately, Pitt edged out Louisville with a 26-24 win. Luper led the Cardinals with five kills in this set.
Louisville fought hard in the fourth set but fell short, losing 25-21. Their hitting struggled in this set, hitting just .128.
In the decisive fifth set, the Cardinals took an early lead but were unable to hold on, eventually succumbing to Pitt by a final score of 17-15. DeBeer continued to be a force on offense, recording two kills in this set and tallying a total of 29 kills for the match.
While disappointed with the loss, Louisville can take pride in the fight they showed against a tough opponent. Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly praised her team’s effort, saying, “We gave it everything we had tonight. Anna had an unbelievable performance, and the team battled until the very end. We will regroup and learn from this as we continue our season.”
Despite the loss, the Cardinals remain one of the top teams in the country and will look to bounce back in their upcoming matches.
