Pittsburgh’s 12th ranked volleyball team visited Dayton on Saturday to play a Flyer squad that received zero votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s pre-season poll. (AVCA Poll). This was the fourth year in a row the two teams would meet and although this was “just” an exhibition match, this was NEVER just an exhibition match.

Both teams are loaded with elite-level players headlined by two boat loads of hitters. It was going to be a slug-fest. It was going to be a dog-fight. It did not disappoint. It took overtime in the 5th set to determine a winner and UD prevailed 3-2 (25-21, 25-21, 22-25, 23-25, 19-17). Ud69 posted in the forum it took five set points for UD to put it away. Big-time players going toe-to-toe. Taking a punch and getting up to throw a couple of their own. It was a team effort on both sides of the net, but no one played bigger than Flyer R-So Outside Hitter Jamie Peterson.

30 kills. 4 Aces. 6 Digs. 34 total points for the afternoon averaging 6.8 points per set. All against the #12 ranked team in the country and in her first match back since since December 2, 2016, ironically a 1-3 loss to Pitt in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Peterson had an injury (shoulder) redshirt year in 2017 and a personal leave in 2018, but she was always part of the program. Always on the sidelines. Always in practice. Always advancing her game, even if at times it was mental advancement before she could get back on the court. And this weekend Peterson unleased all of that advancement and hard work to get back on the court.

How big was her performance? First, you have to put into perspective, one match does NOT make a season. A lot of talented players can have that one match where their performance is head and shoulders above their average over time. But for one day, after almost a three-year hiatus from competitive volleyball, Peterson was world-class. Here’s the point of reference.

In 2018, Cincinnati’s Jordan Thompson led the NCAAs in points per set at 6.89. Peterson averaged 6.8 against Pittsburgh. Thompson plays the exact same position as Peterson. She will be a R-Sr this season. Peterson is a R-So. Both are 6’4”. Thompson spent this past summer playing for USA Volleyball and led the team in points scored as USA Volleyball played its way into the 2020 Olympics. Thompson had a monster summer. Many feel she is the leading candidate for National Player of the Year this season. The other player being talked about is Stanford’s 6’6” Sr OH Kathryn Plummer.

Peterson will have to continue to play this big…or bigger…to be in the discussion surrounding Thompson and Plummer this season. Its way too early to say she’s in the mix. But, as a redshirt sophomore, it’s safe to say her potential is HUGE. Jamie Peterson is one talented volleyball player playing on one talented volleyball team. Pitt never saw Peterson coming. The collegiate volleyball world has no idea Dayton is coming. Both will change sooner, rather than later.