Sunday’s meeting between Pitt and SMU brought two top ten volleyball teams together at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, just four days after SMU won in Pittsburgh. That short turnaround gave this match a story before the first serve. For my coverage, I want to give the athletes on both sides room in that story.
No. 2 Pitt defeated No. 6 SMU in three sets on October 11, 2026, winning 25–12, 25–21 and 26–24. The Panthers answered Wednesday’s loss with a sweep, though SMU made them work through four set points to finish the afternoon.
Pitt and SMU at Moody Coliseum
Pitt established the early advantage with its 25–12 opening set and followed with a 25–21 second. Olivia Babcock finished with 20 kills on 30 attempts, making only three attacking errors for a .567 hitting percentage. Blaire Bayless added 11 kills, giving the Panthers another productive option at the net.
The third set deserves a little more time. SMU turned a 20–18 deficit into a 24–20 lead, putting a fourth set within reach. Pitt then won six consecutive points. Babcock started that closing run with a kill, Marina Pezelj’s ace brought the teams even at 24, and Abbey Emch’s solo block ended the match.
Those final rallies brought several players into the result. Bayless contributed a kill and joined Emch on a block during the run. It is the kind of sequence that gives context to the individual numbers, with the serve, attack and block all contributing to the finish.
Contributions on both sides
Favor Anyanwu led SMU with 11 kills and hit .533, while Suli Davis and Jadyn Livings added seven kills apiece. Hannah Beauford supplied 29 assists and five blocks. Their contributions belong alongside Pitt’s closing run when telling the story of this match.
Victoria Harris also reached a personal milestone. Her nine digs brought her to 1,000 NCAA career digs, combining 795 at South Carolina with 205 at SMU. Her college career now includes that achievement as well as Sunday’s result.
Photographs from the match
SMU was one point from extending the match at 24–20 in the third set. Pitt won the next six. Looking through the photographs with that finish in mind, there’s plenty to take in from both teams: Babcock reaching low toward the floor, hitters challenging the block, and defenders working to keep a rally alive.
Matt Powell is a professional sports content creator who crafts creative assets that drive athlete and team branding strategies.
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