ACC volleyball opened with a bang as No. 5 Pitt squared off with No. 11 SMU in Dallas, eager to avenge last year’s loss at Moody Coliseum. The top-15 showdown delivered, trading sets in a back-and-forth battle that stayed tight all night — until the fifth.

That’s when the Panthers finally imposed their will. Pitt smothered the Mustangs in the decisive frame, leaving no room to breathe on the way to a statement victory (25-20, 23-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-9).

Match flow

After a week off, Pitt started slowly, trailing early in the first set. Brooke Mosher sparked a 6-0 run from the service line to give the Panthers a four-point lead. SMU couldn’t regain momentum, and Olivia Babcock’s sixth kill of the set sealed it.

The second set was a tug-of-war from the start. SMU jumped ahead 19-14 behind

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