Kyndal Stowers and Logan Lednicky combined for 34 points to lead Texas A&M to a 29-27, 25-21, 25-20 sweep of Pittsburgh on Thursday, punching its ticket to the women's volleyball national championship game.
Stowers led the way with 18 points and 16 kills for a 53% kill rate, and Lednicky had 16 points and 14 kills for a 45% kill rate. It was Lednicky's 22nd consecutive game with double-digit kills. Maddie Waak had 47 assists.
The No. 3 seed Aggies (28-4) reached the finals for the first time in program history after never advancing beyond the round of 16. It is the second No. 1 seed the Aggies have defeated in the tournament after upsetting previously undefeated Nebraska in a regional final. Texas A&M also defeated second seed Louisville.
Pitt had not been swept this season until Thursday.
Olivia Babcock, a finalist for the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Year award, led the Panthers (30-5) with 25 points, finishing with 22 kills and a 54% kill rate. No other Panthers player scored double-digit points. Brooke Mosher had 31 assists.
Texas A&M will play Kentucky, a five-set winner over Wisconsin in the last semifinal, in Sunday's final.
Kentucky survives Wisconsin
Eva Hudson scored 31 points, leading Kentucky to a 12-25, 25-22, 21-25, 26-24, 15-13 victory over Wisconsin.
Hudson, an AVCA National Player of the Year finalist, led the No. 1 Wildcats (30-2) with 29 kills for a 53% kill rate, including the final kill of the game. Brooklyn Delaye added 18 points and a team-high five blocks. Kassie O'Brien had 54 assists and Molly Tuozzo had 17 digs.
The No. 3 seed Badgers (28-5) dominated the first set with a 68% hit rate, but the following sets were closely contested.
The Badgers were led by Mimi Colyer, another finalist for player of the year, who tallied 32 kills with a 46% kill rate. Carter Booth had 21 with a 70% kill rate along with a game-high six blocks. Charlie Fuerbringer led all players with 63 assists and Grace Egan had a team-high 15 kills.
It was the 27th straight win for the Wildcats, who won a ninth straight SEC title this season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
