PITTSBURGH — University of Pittsburgh volleyball coach Dan Fisher calls the swirl of publicity and attention the Panthers are receiving these days as “just noise.”

As the wins have piled up this season, that noise has grown louder and louder.

But Pitt senior liberoAngela Seman is heeding her coach's advice and blocking out that noise the best she can.

It isn't always easy when you are 22-0, ranked No. 5 nationally and currently the toast of a town that is rich in sports history.

“We definitely did not expect to be undefeated,” said Seman, a Seneca Valley graduate. “Our goal is always to get to the NCAA tournament and our goal this year is to get there and go farther than last year. That is it.”

Pitt went 26-7 and lost to top-ranked Penn State in the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2017.

“We're playing for each other,” Seman added. “We're playing with a lot of heart.”

And, suddenly, in front of a lot of people.

When Pitt hosted Louisville in a matchup of ACC undefeated teams Sunday, the Panthers had a record-setting 2,152 people crammed inside the Fitzgerald Field House to see them play.

Pitt won 3-1 and moved up to No. 5 in the national poll.

The Panthers are one of two undefeated teams in Division I. The other is No. 1-ranked BYU (20-0).

Seman has played in front of huge crowds like the one at Fitzgerald Field House before — predominantly in the NCAA tournament or on the road, but never at home.

When asked how many people were in attendance at Pitt's first home volleyball game this season, Seman chuckled.

“Probably 200, maybe 300,” she said.

When Fisher arrived at Pitt in 2013, he took over a program that had posted a 47-46 record the previous three seasons.

Fisher brought with him and extensive volleyball resume and a knack for recruiting talented players.

Seman was one of his first recruits.

“It's a true honor, especially being one of his first recruiting classes and being bale to be a part of growing this program,” Seman said.

After a redshirt season as a freshman, Seman made a big impact in her first year on the court for the Panthers in 2015, playing every set and leading 23-9 Pitt in digs with 532.

Now in her final season, Seman is the unquestioned leader of the defense with 299 digs.

Seman said she is playing more free and easy this season because she knows there is no reason to hold anything back.

“This year I'm playing the way I've always wanted to play because it's my last year,” Seman said.

Seman, though, is trying to block out the fact that she's nearing the end of a successful career at Pitt. She's also trying to silence all the other noise surrounding a team that suddenly has national title aspirations.

“I think on Senior Day it will really hit me,” Seman said. “It will be the last time playing in this facility. It'll get to me then, I'm sure. But I'm trying to stay in the moment. That's one of the things we have always tried to do. Stay in the moment.”

Fisher also brought to Pitt a new-age approach to preparing for a match.

Seman said they do a lot of meditation before games and have a summer reading list of inspirational books.

Seman admitted that she and her teammates were a bit skeptical of the approach until they started to buy in.

“It's a very new approach and very new to a lot of teams,” Seman said. “Once you tell yourself it will make you better, it's pretty easy to go all in with it. It has helped.”

Pitt, which is 16-0 at home, won't be back at the Fitzgerald Field House for awhile.

The Panthers have a four-match swing through the ACC that begins Friday at Wake Forest.

The next home match is Nov. 11 against Duke.

As far as a possible national title, Seman won't entertain that thought yet, either.

It's all part of staying in the moment.

And blocking out that noise — a familiar refrain.

“We won't be able to accomplish anything we want to do this season if we do that,” she said.

“We've been able to build a culture of excellence and establish that Pitt is a volleyball school. We're embracing that.”