Big Ten/ Pac 12 Challenge
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Big Ten/ Pac 12 Challenge

The women’s volleyball team went 1-1 at the Big Ten/ Pac 12 Challenge in Palo Alto, Calif. this past weekend. Friday night the team fell short to No. 2 Stanford but finished the weekend strong on Saturday with a win over UCLA.

The top two teams, Penn State and Stanford, battled it out Friday night in five nail biting matches. Penn State’s top scorers included: Ali Frantti with 22 kills, 11 digs and two blocks; Megan Courtney with 18 kills, nine digs and five blocks; and Nia Grant with nine kills, five digs and two blocks.

In the first set PSU held a steady lead throughout the match that led them to a 25-18 win. The second set knotted into a tie on two occasions and then Stanford took the lead and ended up with the win, 25-23.

Penn State slipped again in the third set to another close loss of 25-22. They then gained back some momentum in the fourth set with a big 25-16 win. The fifth set flew by, Stanford forced PSU into a timeout and the team couldn’t close the point difference in the end. The final set ended 15-10.

Saturday evening PSU came back and ended the weekend with a straight three set win over UCLA. The top scorers were: Frantti with 14 kills and five digs; Grant with nine kills, two aces and seven blocks; and Aiyana Whitney with seven kills and two blocks.

Penn State began the first set with a big lead and held it until the end winning 25-15. The second set went back and forth, then point for point towards the end. PSU held on for a 27-25 win. Finally in the third match UCLA put up a good fight but Penn State came away with the 25-17 win.

The Nittany Lions stand with a record of 4-1 and hold onto their No. 1 rank. September 12-13 they will be travelling to Villanova, Pa. for the Villanova Classic. There they will face Yale, Kansas, American and Villanova.