VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women's volleyball team started its 2019 season Friday competing in the Virginia Wesleyan Tournament and splitting its two matches on the day.
Pitt-Bradford (1-1) started the day with a tough five-set defeat against the host Virginia Wesleyan (25-23, 20-25, 25-12, 20-25,15-7) but regrouped for a four-set win against St. Mary's (Md.) (25-20, 25-12, 14-25, 25-11).
Down a set in the first match of the day, the Panther battled back a leveled it up with a 25-20 win in set two.
But Virginia Wesleyan regained the advantage with a win in set three before the Panthers forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-20 win in set four.
Virginia Wesleyan would eventually take the match victory with a 15-7 win in the decisive set.
Emily Cleveland led the team with 14 kills while Riley Anderson chipped in 13.
Katie Treat also knocked 10 kills on 25 swings.
Gabby Barnes assisted 32 Panther kills.
Defensively, Laura Hildebrand led the team with 20 digs and Elizabeth Johnson assisted four blocks.
In the second match of the day, Pitt-Bradford stormed to sild wins in the first two sets, hitting .184 and .185, respectively, in each of the opening sets.
St. Mary's (Md.) extended the match with a set-three win, but the Panthers held them off and completed their first victory of the season with a dominant 25-11 win in the fourth set, hitting .310 in the set alone.
Cleveland once again led the Panthers in kills with 11 while Treat was next with eight and Anderson was close behind with seven.
Barnes and Tabitha Walker split time as the Panther setters, Barnes finishing with 16 assists and Walker with 19.
Hildebrand was the team's digs leader again with 18.
Pitt-Bradford will play its final two matches in Virginia Beach Saturday, first taking on Randolph-Macon at 10 a.m. before playing Randolph at 2 p.m.