Louisville volleyball rallies past Pitt to reach NCAA title match

No. 1 Louisville is headed to the NCAA women’s volleyball national championship after a stunning four-set victory over No. 1 Pitt (21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 25-17). The Cardinals fought off a first set defeat and later multiple set points in the third set to outlast the Panthers.

Pitt came out strong, taking the first set 25-21 behind the dominant play of Olivia Babcock, who finished with a match-high 33 kills. The Panthers’ offense was firing early, hitting .373 in the opening set. Louisville responded in a back-and-forth second set, rallying from an early deficit to win 25-23 and level the match.

The third set saw Pitt surge ahead, but Louisville’s Anna DeBeer delivered a clutch block to tie it at 23-23. The Cardinals stayed composed, taking the set 29-27. DeBeer’s all-around play and defensive presence shifted momentum in Louisville’s favor.

Louisville, which lost DeBeer to injury, remained in control in the fourth set to secure the match.

With the win, Louisville advances to its second national title match in three years. The Cardinals will look to capture their first-ever championship after falling short in 2022.

THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS ARE GOING TO THE NATTY 🐦

(1) @LouisvilleVB defeats (1) Pitt in four sets to advance!#NCAAWVB pic.twitter.com/gY4JB3GMuC

— NCAA Women’s Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) December 20, 2024