The last time that Boston College volleyball beat Pittsburgh was in 2000, and the Panthers entered Friday night’s tilt on a 19-game win streak over BC.
On the flip side, the Eagles went into the third game of their ACC schedule facing the No. 1 squad in the NCAA on a four game losing streak, and their chances at ending the streak looked slim.
On the Eagles’ 2024 schedule, Pitt was viewed as the most difficult match of the season as the Panthers ended the 2023 season with an overall record of 29–5 and 16–2 in the ACC. The Panthers last loss came in 2023 when they were defeated 0–3 last year in the NCAA National Semifinals by No. 1 Nebraska.
The Eagles flipped the script, though. At least for the first set which they took 25–23, handing Pitt its first set loss in 2024 regular season play. Although the Eagles (7–8, 0–3 Atlantic Coast) lost 1–3 to the Panthers (13–0, 3–0 ACC) in Friday night’s contest, taking a set from the best team in the country is hard to overlook.
“I think the takeaway is one: you know, we can hang with some of the best teams in the country, which is good, and two: the consistency just isn’t there. We came out, we were able to win the first set and then unfortunately those next two got away from us really quick and we’ve got to find a way to kinda level out and get a little more consistency.”
In the first set, BC and the Panthers traded points back and forth early, alternating serves for the first six points until Pitt went on a three point run to go up 6–3. After the Eagles rallied to equalize the score at 13–13, Pitt went on another three point run that forced a BC timeout.
Coming back from a 19–14 deficit, the Eagles equalized again at 20–20. The Eagles and Panthers traded points until BC pulled away to win the set 25–23.
The second set saw the Panthers establish an 11–4 lead while the Eagles struggled to carry over momentum from the first set. A BC timeout did little to turn the tide of the second set as Pitt went up 17–4 to prompt another Eagles timeout. The Panthers dominated the second set, winning 25–7.
Coming into the third set 1–1, the Panthers took an early 10–2 lead. Throughout the third set, Pitt asserted control at the net and went up 13-3. Coach Kennedy challenged a Pitt serve originally ruled as an ace; however, referees upheld the call. The Eagles took a timeout after going down 17–7 but failed to rally late in the set. The Panthers won 25–9 with a 2–1 match score lead.
The Eagles opened the fourth set with a 2–0 lead that forced a Pitt timeout. The Panthers and Eagles traded the lead until the middle of the set when the Panthers went up 13–11.
BC took a timeout after the Panthers went up 15–12. While the Eagles remained competitive throughout the set, Pitt took a 21–16 lead that brought on another Eagles timeout. A late resurgence saw BC close the gap to 23–20, but it was not enough to pull ahead over the Panthers. Pitt won the match 3–1 with a score of 25–20 in the fourth set.
“We’ve got to go back, we’ve got to look at it and we’ve got to start again,” Kennedy said of BC’s upcoming match against No. 17 SMU. “It’s going to be a new plan and they’re going to be a force at all the positions across the next. They’re a good team, they’ve beaten some really good teams this year, so, we know we’re capable of being able to block well and defend well, that’s our identity and if we can come out and do that then we’ll have a chance on Sunday.”
