The NCAA scene is buzzing like never before, and with the Sweet 16 right around the corner, the excitement is reaching a fever pitch! As always, Dan Fisher’s Pittsburgh Panthers know how to make waves, whether it’s during the Big Ten season or the NCAA tournament. Coming into the NCAA scene as one of the fan favorites, Pitt kept their grip tight on the top spot throughout the Big Ten season. And when the NCAA action kicked off, they claimed a solid No. 1 position among the top four seeds, earning the honor of hosting the first and second rounds for the Upper Left Region—alongside teams like Minnesota, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and more.

But of course, Pitt being Pitt, they’re not stopping anytime soon. Now, they’re headed to the Sweet 16, where they’ll face off against Oregon on December 12. Every match from here on out is crucial as they chase the ultimate goal: that coveted NCAA championship trophy. However, before they dive into the next big challenge, Coach Dan Fisher has taken a moment to reflect on the team’s recent struggles in the championship.

Dan Fisher reveals the struggles!

In a recent YouTube clip shared by Inside the Panthers, Coach Dan Fisher opened up about the team’s tough road to the Sweet 16. He said, “All week long we’re struggling with some sicknesses, and some girls are banged up,” but despite the setbacks, they pushed through. “We found a way to win when we weren’t totally feeling our best, so I’m really proud of this group.”

Fisher also admitted that while he expected some struggles, particularly with Oklahoma’s lightning-fast offense, their defensive play exceeded his expectations. “They run a really fast offense; I would argue the fastest in the country overall, but they definitely exceeded my expectations on how well they play defensively.” In the end, despite the hurdles, Fisher praised his team’s resilience—saying, “We just persevered, and we’re in the Sweet 16.” It wasn’t easy, but this squad showed what they’re made of when it mattered most.

In their game against Oklahoma, Dan Fisher’s Pitt Panthers might have won the game, but the game was tough as mentioned by Fisher. The Panthers, led by Torrey Stafford who had 10 kills and 9 digs, a match-high, defeated the eighth-seeded Oklahoma (28-26, 25-21, 25-19) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the Petersen Events Center. That win put them into the Regional Semifinal round for the fifth consecutive season. But here is the kicker-Dan Fisher was not the only one who was whining about the fierce fight they had against Oklahoma. There’s more to the story!

Another Panther reveals the struggles!

You heard it right! It wasn’t just Dan Fisher speaking up about the tough game against Oklahoma. Valeria Vazquez Gomez, another key Panther, also shared her thoughts in the press conference, opening up about the struggles they faced on the court. When a journalist asked her, “Valeria, it seemed like you guys were having a little bit of trouble with their block specifically. I’m curious what you saw in that, what they were maybe doing a little bit better to kind of stifle you guys there,” Valeria didn’t hold back.

Valeria replied, “I mean, they’re a really tall, really physical team. I think we were—me, Tori, Liv—we were pretty determined on where we wanted to hit. And then we talked to our coaches and said, ‘Hey, we do this every time in practice. We have one of the best blocking teams in the country, so we’re used to it. It’s just a matter of like flipping the switch.'” In the game, Bre Kelley and Rachel Fairbanks totally owned it with a clutch block to snag set one, 28-26, and then they just kept the momentum rolling, taking the lead in every set after that.

So, while Oklahoma brought some serious heat, it’s clear the Panthers weren’t backing down.