Marquette Falls to Pittsburgh, 3-0

Nov. 16, 2008

MILWAUKEE -- The Marquette women's volleyball team lost a 3-0 decision to Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon at the Al McGuire Center (25-25, 25-18, 25-17).

"We had an opportunity to improve today," said interim head coach Erica Heisser. "Tiara Russell has really played well as has Rabbecka Gonyo, and it has been important that our younger players have received a lot of playing time as the season has progressed."

In her final game at the Al McGuire Center, senior Ashlee Fisher led the team with 12 kills, while junior Caryn Mastandrea had 25 assists and six digs.

Marquette started the first set right where they had left off Friday night against West Virginia, shooting out to a 9-1 lead. With the Golden Eagles up 17-11 on a kill by Tiara Russell, one of her six kills on the afternoon, Pittsburgh called their first timeout. Out of the timeout Pittsburgh scored the next six points to tie the set at 17-17. With the set tied, the Panthers scored eight of the next 11 points to close out the set, 25-20.

A kill by Leslie Bielski put Marquette up 3-1 in the second set before Pittsburgh responded to take command of the frame. The Panthers built a 19-12 advantage, leading to a Marquette timeout, and finished off the set 25-18.

The Panthers shot out to a 4-1 lead in the third stanza and would not look back, winning 25-17.

Honored in a pre-match ceremony were seniors Terri Angst, Ashlee Fisher, Jessica Kieser and manager David Hartman.

The match closed out the BIG?EAST?schedule and home portion of the 2008 season for the Golden Eagles (11-16, 5-9 BIG EAST), who will head to Kalamazoo, Mich., for their last two matches Nov. 28-29 against Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan.