WASHINGTON (December 5, 2019) – After winning their fifth consecutive league title, the Howard University women's volleyball team heads to Pittsburgh to challenge ACC Champion No. 6 Pitt Panthers in the NCAA First Round Friday (Dec. 6). First serve is set for 7 p.m. inside the Petersen Events Center.
 
Bison Nation can follow all the action via live stats and/or ACC Network Extra.
 
Fans interested in attending the match can purchase tickets here.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
On Oct. 24, the Bison erased a 2-1 match deficit to win their fifth consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Title after taking down rival Morgan State in a five set classic (24-26, 37-35, 17-25, 25-23, 15-12) at Burr Gymnasium.
 
Sophomore Kailyn Williams (Arlington, Texas) led the Bison comeback, producing 18 kills and four digs. For her efforts, the Texas product took home the tourney's most outstanding player.
 
MATCHUP PREVIEW
 
Friday's showdown will be the sixth meeting between Howard and Pitt with the Panthers winning the previous five encounters; however, this will be the first match between the two programs since Sept. 1, 2012.
 
HOWARD
 
HU (20-12) enters the tourney winning 17 of their last 18 contests while currently riding an eight-match winning streak.
 
Shaun Kupferberg, 2019 MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Coach, leads the Bison to their fifth straight NCAA appearance, sixth overall, after grabbing the automatic bid over Morgan State.
 
Howard boasts First Team All-MEAC honoree Kira Porter (Lake Tahoe, Nev.), who leads the MEAC in hitting percentage (.386), and MEAC Rookie of the Year Tamar Wells (Apopka, Fla.).
 
PITT
 
For the second consecutive year, Pitt (29-1) will host the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament First and Second Rounds at Petersen Events Center. The Panthers earned a No. 6 seed, marking their highest NCAA Tournament placement in program history, after going undefeated in league play (18-0) and winning the ACC Tourney.
 
Pitt is led by 2019 ACC Player of the Year Kayla Lund.
 
UP NEXT
 
Cincinnati (25-6) and VCU (24-6) will face off in Friday's first match at 4 p.m. ET. The winners of Friday's matches will meet in the Second Round Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. ET at Petersen Events Center.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.