The Final Four face-off is on and Louisville is battling it out against Coach Dan Fisher’s Pittsburgh team, which is 2-1 in sets at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. On one side, Louisville clinched their spot after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over 2-seeded Stanford Saturday night at Freedom Hall with set scores of 22-25, 25-14, 28-26, 25-20. Meanwhile, the No. 1-seeded Pitt women’s volleyball team defeated the No. 3-seeded Kentucky with the scores of 25-22, 25-23 and 25-17 in the Petersen Events Center, taking them to the fourth consecutive Regional final and National semifinal.

And as this game heated up to the max, it became even more special for Pitt. Before the intense action got underway, Coach Dan Fisher had a major moment of his own. Pitt Volleyball shared some exciting news on X, announcing that their legendary coach snagged the National Coach of the Year award! Their post read, “The man, the myth, the legend Dan Fisher is the @AVCAVolleyball National Coach of the Year!” The Pitt fans were beyond hyped, soaking in the moment for their coach. But then, things took a fiery turn on the court. The Louisville crowd wasn’t exactly in a celebratory mood, greeting the announcement with loud boos. You could feel the rivalry energy simmering, fueling the already intense atmosphere!

Lincoln Arneal, the go-to voice for the Huskers, captured the drama perfectly on X, sharing, “Rivalry moment: they just announced Pitt coach Dan Fisher as the AVCA coach of the year and the Louisville-heavy crowd booed him. A little animosity between the programs, eh?” It’s clear that this clash is more than just a game—it’s a heated face-off between two powerhouses with some serious history. Let’s see if Pitt can channel that energy or if Louisville rides the crowd’s electric vibes to victory!

And now, as per the updates, Dan Fisher’s Pitt’s incredible season came to a tough end on Thursday; they lost 3-1 against Louisville in the Final Four. Despite taking the first set 25-21, the Panthers could not sustain the momentum and lost the next three sets 25-23, 29-27 and 25-17. Despite their earlier victories over Louisville this season, the Cardinals surged at the KFC Yum! Center, thus snapping Pitt’s national title bid. The Panthers had an exciting year, reaching the Final Four for the fourth consecutive year but the Cardinals were too strong to beat.

Now, the No. 1 seeded Cardinals are ready to play in the national championship game on Sunday against either Penn State or Nebraska. Although Pitt’s season has come to an end, glimpses of their journey—fighting with Louisville and victories—will remain with the players for the future striving to further their accomplishments next year. So, how has the rivalry been for Pitt and Louisville over the years?

Cardinals and Dan Fisher’s Pitts!

Pitt and Louisville have created one of the most intense rivalries in volleyball history, and this season’s Final Four showdown is no exception. The series has seen plenty of dramatic moments over the years—from the heated games in the early 2000s to the more recent battles in the ACC. Coach Dan Fisher and the Panthers have been relentless, especially with their recent dominance, but Louisville has always found a way to push back. Dan Fisher acknowledges the importance of these matchups, emphasizing, “From my end, it’s nothing but respect. Playing against great teams makes you better and exposes you for stuff you don’t see in your own practice gym or when you’re playing a weaker opponent.”

It has become a fierce competition each season because both teams have set their sights on getting better. Louisville’s Dani Busboom Kelly said the same thing, “The same it always has been. Very appreciative that we have each other because I’m not sure one of us could have done it without the other.” But when top recruits come into their respective teams, and that same fiery competitiveness remains, it has become something other than just a game.

It has been like this in recent years. In their 2022 match, Pittsburgh managed to deal with Louisville in a five-set match in a supportive Fitzgerald Field House with sets’ results of 25/20, 23/25, 25/21, 20/25, and 15/13. Louisville came back with a sweep on the road later that same year, but Pitt was able to share the ACC title. Looking forward to 2023, Louisville won the first match at home 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 24-26, 25-22) but Pitt came back strongly with a 3-2 win in the second encounter (19-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-21, 15-13).

Pitt was looking to make history—to beat Louisville for the fifth consecutive time and advance to their first-ever National Championship game. They were on a roll after some dramatic fights and great shots. But Louisville wasn’t having it. They stopped it; they knocked Pitt out and now they’re going to their second National Championship in three seasons. After dropping the first set 21-25, Louisville came roaring back with wins of 25-23, 29-27 (talk about clutch!), and a decisive 25-17 finish.

This victory also makes history as the Cards’ 30th win of the season—marking their seventh time hitting that milestone. Now, they are ready to turn up the heat on their home soil at the KFC Yum! Center, eager to battle for that national title with all the energy and passion you’d expect from this intense rivalry.