Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (2024)

Last Updated 3:12 PM, October 24, 2021

Michella Chester

College volleyball rankings: Ohio State, Washington re-enter latest Power 10

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6:47 pm, October 24, 2021

Louisville remains undefeated, takes down Pitt in five sets

Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (2)

Louisville took down Pitt in a five-set battle to remain undefeated on the season at 20-0, which ties a program-best start with 2005.

Claire Chaussee led the Cards with 17 kills on .483 hitting, Anna DeBeer totaled 17 kills as well, Anna Stevenson posted 13 kills, Amaya Tillman added 12 kills and and EIGHT total blocks on the match. Tori Dilfer posted 57 assists on the match — this was a total team effort for a well-rounded team.

In a match between two top-5 powerhouse teams, we got it all. The match went to a decisive fifth set, one filled with ties, lead changes, momentum shifts, and everything you can imagine. Member-Meneh did it ALL for Pitt today, and she hammered one down followed by a Serena Gray block to tie the fifth set up at 13. It came down to the wire. But, Anna Stevenson absolutely unloaded on a ball to give the Cards match point and then in classic Louisville fashion, they sealed the deal with a big-time block.

The Panthers now lost their second match of the season, but still proved to be a national championship contending volleyball team on the court today. Pitt outhit Louisville on the match .338 to .258, and played some seriously high-caliber volleyball. Member-Meneh led with 18 kills on .389 hitting, Ndee added 16 kills on .303 hitting and Kayla Lund posted 14 kills on .407 hitting. Despite the loss, the Panthers gave the Cards all they could handle. I don't suspect they will fall much at all in the rankings or the eyes of the Committee.

The best part of this all, is that we get to do it all over again when these two top-ACC teams face for a second time this season.

Click or tap here for final stats from Saturday's match.

5:56 pm, October 24, 2021

Pitt forces fifth set with 25-22 victory in fourth set

Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (3)

Pitt and Louisville hit .333 and .308, respectively in a fourth set that resulted in a Pitt win. We are now headed to a fifth set. Leketor Member-Meneh has been phenomenal this entire match, and willed this team to the position they are in now. She now has 17 kills on .371 hitting and two aces for the match. Ndee is right behind her with four kills.

We are headed to five! For the highest ranked matchup in the ACC, this match has been all it was hyped up to be.

5:33 pm, October 24, 2021

Louisville takes 2-1 lead with 27-25 set three win

Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (4)

The Cardinals take a 2-1 lead on the match after taking set three 27-25.

If you are not watching this match live, let me describe it to you. The last moments of set three had us on the edge of our seats, blood pumping as Pitt tied up the match at 23. LeketorMember-Meneh sent an absolute bullet over the net, one that sent chills down your spine.

From there, the Cards had set point, then they didn't. Then they had set point again, and Kayla Lund said no thank you and tied it up again. Another Pitt service error gave Louisville its third set point, and Chaussee sealed the deal at last.

What a match, though. Pitt has three players in double digit kills — Member-Meneh leads with 11, Ndee notched 10 and Kayla Lund chipped in 10 as well. All three of them are hitting above .300. Serena Gray has been a huge component as well with eight kills. Louisville's Tori Dilfer has plenty of offensive options with Aiko Jones, Anna Stevenson, Amaya Tillman, Anna DeBeer and Claire Chaussee, who has 10 kills on ,429 hitting.

We are headed to the fourth set with a lot on the line, and it should be a battle.

5:15 pm, October 24, 2021

Pitt trails by two in the third set

Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (5)

Set three is underway and Louisville again started out strong with a 7-3 lead. This set looks a lot less clean than the first or second, with Pitt now in negative hitting. The service errors are high in the second set and the Panthers are having difficulty hitting around the Louisville block. But, in the blink of an eye, Pitt was within one point.

The Cards now lead 15-13 in a tight third set.

4:51 pm, October 24, 2021

Louisville takes set two 25-20, evens up the match

The Cardinals are 17-0 on the season when they win the second set. A weird statistic, but they just tied up the match 1-1 with a 25-20 win in set two. They set the tone early in the set — jumping out to a 10-point lead. A big reason for that was Pitt's service errors and the Louisville block coming up big.

The Panthers got better as the set went on and they went on a 4-0 run late to make it 20-16, down by just four points. But Louisville took a timeout and Anna DeBeer hammered down a kill to end the Pitt run. The Cards finished out the set with a 3-0 run to win it 25-19, but Pitt challenged the final point and made the case that there was no touch on the point. That last point was overturned, before DeBeer finished it off for real this time. The Cards took the set 25-20.

No shot that gets by @amaya_shay 😏

Set 2 | Cards 23, Pitt 17

Watch @espn: https://t.co/s3H8fqDMsP#GoCards pic.twitter.com/sN9cDoA5DT

— Louisville Volleyball (@UofLVolleyball) October 24, 2021

4:45 pm, October 24, 2021

Louisville jumps out to demanding lead in set two

The Cards just jumped out to a huge lead in set two, up 14-4 early. The Panthers have notched four service errors already and are hitting a low .100 compared to set one. The Cardinals are staying consistent, hitting .333 on the set.

Claire Chaussee came alive in set two and is now up to a team best five kills on .500 hitting. Amaya Tillman has been a big part of the run as well with four kills on .429 hitting.

THIS BLOCK > 😍

Set 2 | Cards 5, Pitt 3

Watch @espn: https://t.co/s3H8fqDMsP#GoCards pic.twitter.com/Tfg8OIpsvd

— Louisville Volleyball (@UofLVolleyball) October 24, 2021

4:24 pm, October 24, 2021

Pitt takes set one over Louisville, 25-19

Pittsburgh just took the first set 25-19 and a 1-0 lead in the match. The Panthers took the first set behind a phenomenal .714 hitting efficiency and high team energy. Louisville hit .353 for the first set, and it still wasn't enough. What we know though, is that this is going to be a TIGHT matchup in the first ever meeting between top-five opponents.

Leketor Member-Meneh has been unstoppable on the match so far, she leads in kills for the Panthers followed by Chinaza Ndee. The Cards are led by Aiko Jones with five kills on .444 hitting. The Panthers can not let up though, I suspect the Cardinals offense could come alive in the second set.

.@clairechaussee9 with the KILL 👏

Set 1 | Cards 8, Pitt 7

Watch @espn: https://t.co/s3H8fqDMsP#GoCards pic.twitter.com/vLodXxrNyA

— Louisville Volleyball (@UofLVolleyball) October 24, 2021

4:06 pm, October 24, 2021

We've got a tight matchup and GREAT volleyball, Pitt leads 15-11

Wow. This is clearly a matchup between the No. 2 and No. 4 team in the nation. Neither teams have won a national title, but they are both looking to do so this season.

Things were all tied up at 11 when Pitt went on a 4-0 run to take a 15-11 lead and force Louisville and Dani Busboom-Kelly to take a timeout.Early in the match we have seen some really efficient volleyball. Pitt is hitting.667 so far on the match and Louisville is hitting .348. Serena Gray leads the Panthers already with four kills, but Chinaza Ndee has got three kills on three swings so far.

For Louisville, Anna Stevenson leads with four kills, and this offense is dangerous. You can not count them out of this set.

8:34 pm, October 21, 2021

How to watch Pittsburgh at Louisville

Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (6)

  • Who: No. 4 Pittsburgh at No. 2 Louisville
  • Time: 12 p.m. ET
  • Date: Sunday, Oct. 24
  • Location: Louisville, KY
  • TV channel: ACC Network

8:31 pm, October 21, 2021

Previewing Louisville vs. Pitt

Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (7)

We will FINALLY get to see the head-to-head matchup between Louisville and Pitt as they battle for the top of the ACC and also the entire country, considering these two teams are ranked No. 2 and No. 4. So we have a top-5 battle and an ACC battle.

Louisville is one of just two teams in the nation to remain undefeated — No. 1 Texas is the other.And it is not due to a weak schedule. The Cardinals have defeated FOUR ranked opponents this season, including a sweep over Purdue, a five-set victory over the reigning champions Kentucky, a sweep over Nebraska and a sweep over Georgia Tech, a team that just handed Pitt its first loss of the season. So not only are they unbeaten, but they have faced some of the toughest opponents in college volleyball. If that doesn't shout out to you that this team is legit, I don't know what does. This team is loaded with experience and talent and they have been on the rise, with most of the same players, since the upset over then No. 2 Texas in the 2019 NCAA tournament. Amaya Tillman ranks ninth nationally in blocks per set, and she and Aiko Jones joined together make for a powerful force at the net that makes this team the fifth best blocking team in the nation. Anna Stevenson and Claire Chaussee were there in 2019 and were joined by Anna DeBeer last season to round out the offense, and then they have a phenomenal setter in Tori Dilfer and a great libero in Elena Scott. This stacked team makes for a tough one to beat, but this Pitt team will be no easy task.

BRACKET:Bracket predictions before selections

We knew the Panthers were going to be a team to be reckoned with when they made program history in last season's NCAA tournament. The Panthers ALMOST made it even further to the national semifinals before falling in five sets to Washington after giving up a 2-0 lead. They returned their core and then added some more key players this season and they have looked really strong. They were undefeated until losing to Georgia Tech in five sets. This team has Kayla Lund and Chinaza Ndee offensively as well as LeketorMember-Meneh and Serena Gray. This team has also played an incredibly tough schedule, boasting the No. 1 RPI in the nation. You couldn't ask for more than this matchup, and it is just the first of two.

8:31 pm, October 21, 2021

Latest Power 10 rankings

3:07

8:06 pm, October 21, 2021

How Louisville and Pitt matchup, statistically

Louisville is looking to remain undefeated in the ACC and on the season, while Pitt is looking to take down the No. 2 team in the nation and its ACC challenger. A Louisville win would keep the Cards on top of the ACC and would will likely keep them at No. 2 in the AVCA, whereas a win for Pitt would cause a jump in the rankings and ACC standings.

Louisville ranks in the top five nationally in blocks per set, largely in part due to Amaya Tillman and Aiko Jones. The Cardinals are also fifth in the nation in hitting efficiency.

LouisvilleTALE OF THE TABLEPITTSBURGH
18-0 (8-0)Record (ACC)17-1 (7-1)
No. 2AVCA rankingNo. 4
Def. Wake Forest, 3-1Last time outDef. Florida State, 3-1
.310Hitting percentage.278
13.7Kills per set14.1
.125Opponent hitting.186
3.0Blocks per set2.34
13.2Digs per set13.79
100/138Aces/Service errors99/124
Anna DeBeer, 163 (3.20 k/s)Kills leaderKayla Lund, 216 (3.27 k/s)
and Chinaza Ndee, 216 (3.22 k/s)
Tori Dilfer, 635 (10.76 a/s)Assist leaderKylee Levers, 416 (6.21 a/s)
Elena Scott, 220 (4.00 d/s)Digs leaderAshley Browske, 201 (3.09 d/s)

8:04 pm, October 21, 2021

AVCA rankings

Louisville and Pitt are ranked in the top-5 in the latest AVCA rankings at No. 2 and No. 4. Here is the latest top 25:

Through Games OCT. 18, 2021

RANK

TEAM

POINTS

RECORD

PREVIOUS

1Texas (64)1,60015-01
2Louisville1,53616-02
3Wisconsin1,46815-13
4Pittsburgh1,36817-14
5Kentucky1,31913-35
6Ohio State1,28316-27
7Purdue1,19214-36
8BYU1,15818-18
9Nebraska1,10214-39
10Washington1,00013-310
11Baylor94911-411
12Minnesota90210-512
13Georgia Tech77615-316
14Penn State73713-515
15Stanford69811-518
16Oregon66214-413
17UCLA58313-314
18Utah54012-517
19Western Kentucky43218-120
20Tennessee40415-321
21San Diego31614-322
22Washington State25711-625
23Florida19412-623
24Creighton15818-319
25Pepperdine6313-424
Louisville volleyball defeats Pittsburgh in five-set thriller to remain undefeated (2024)

FAQs

Who did Louisville volleyball lose to? ›

Louisville Cardinals previous match was against Pittsburgh Panthers in NCAA, Women, match ended with result 3 - 2 (Pittsburgh Panthers won the match). Louisville Cardinals fixtures tab is showing the last 100 volleyball matches with statistics and win/lose icons.

Do volleyball games play the best of three or five ______? ›

To Win A Match - An intramural match consists of the best 3 out of 5 games with a 55 minute time limit. a. A deciding fifth set is won by the team which first scores 15 points with a minimum lead of 2 points. The cap for a fifth set will be 17 points.

Where is the final four of volleyball 2024? ›

The NCAA and ESPN announced that the 2024 Division I Women's Volleyball Championship final at the Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, will take place Sunday, Dec. 22.

Did Louisville volleyball win the championship? ›

Louisville volleyball fell short of the Final Four this season, losing to top-seeded Pittsburgh in five sets in the Elite Eight on Saturday. But the Cardinals will have another opportunity at their first national championship next season — and they'll have home court advantage if they reach the Final Four.

Can a 5 3 girl play volleyball? ›

We all want him to know, there is no such thing as being too short to play volleyball at the highest level, for any boy or any girl. It is also not how tall you are, but how tall you play.

What is best of 5 sets in volleyball? ›

In competitive adult matches all games are played to a best of five sets. Volleyball is very different to most sports as the first four sets are played to 25 points, but if the match goes to a fifth set this game is only played to 15 points.

How long is a 5 set volleyball game? ›

A standard competitive volleyball match is played in a best-of-five sets format and typically goes on for about 90 minutes.

Who won Creighton vs. Louisville volleyball? ›

-- The No. 17 Creighton Volleyball team saw its 2023 season come to an end in the NCAA Regional Semifinals on Thursday morning in Pittsburgh, falling in five sets against No. 7 Louisville.

Did Nebraska beat Kentucky in volleyball? ›

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

2 Nebraska volleyball team opened its season with a 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 25-20) win over No. 9 Kentucky in the AVCA First Serve Showcase at the KFC Yum! Center.

Who did Japan lose to volleyball? ›

PARIS (Kyodo) -- Japan squandered four match points on the way to losing to 2022 world champion Italy three sets to two in the men's volleyball quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics on Monday.

Did Husker volleyball lose to Wisconsin? ›

1 Nebraska volleyball team fell for the first time this season, 25-22, 28-26, 25-16 at No. 5 Wisconsin in front of a crowd of 7,229 at the UW Field House on Friday afternoon. The Huskers, who wrapped up the outright Big Ten title last weekend, fell to 27-1 overall and 18-1 in Big Ten play.

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