No. 16 Women’s Volleyball Wins First Two Rounds of NCAA Tournament
No. 16 Women’s Volleyball (24-9, 13-6) hushed any critics this past weekend by crushing both LIU Brooklyn and Pitt to propel themselves into the next round of the NCAA Tournament.
Friday’s game, held in Rec Hall, was hardly a matchup for the Nittany Lions as they never allowed LIU Brooklyn to score more than 16 points in a set, and held them to just six points in the third set.
The first set saw Penn State go on an 11-0 run, and Heidi Thelen (Edgewood, Ky.), Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) and Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colo.) all were instrumental in helping Penn State play so well.
The second set was a bit more competitive, with Ali Frantti (Spring Grove, Ill.) keeping the Lions ahead of the Blackbirds. It was redshirt sophomore Nia Reed (Fort Lee, N.J.) who sealed the deal for Penn State with a 25-16 final score.
The final set saw Lee provide three kills and two from Thelen, as well as a 13-0 run for Penn State. Reed provided a final kill that closed out the game with the Nittany Lions victorious.
Saturday’s game, another home game for Penn State, had all the makings of an intense competition right from the start.
It was Pitt who took the first set, 25-20, while Penn State got their feet under themselves and got into the groove.
The second set showed a dominant Penn State, with Lee sinking a pair of kills and ace, and Frantti contributing two kills as well. Washington locked in the set win with a kill, 25-16.
The third set was the Lions’ best, with Tori Gorrell (Oakville, Ont.) and Lee helping Penn State to a 6-1 run and a 25-13 set win.
The fourth and final set opened with a 9-5 lead for the Lions thanks to Lee, Gorrell, and Frantti. Although Pitt went on a 3-0, Frantti powered Penn State back with two points, and Gorrell scored the final point (25-18), sending Penn State to the next round of the NCAA tournament.
Penn State will face No. 1 Nebraska this coming Friday, December 9, at noon in Nebraska. Penn
State has historically had highs and lows against the Cornhuskers, and we know Nittany Nation will be rooting for a Nittany Lion victory this Friday!
Friday’s game, held in Rec Hall, was hardly a matchup for the Nittany Lions as they never allowed LIU Brooklyn to score more than 16 points in a set, and held them to just six points in the third set.
The first set saw Penn State go on an 11-0 run, and Heidi Thelen (Edgewood, Ky.), Simone Lee (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) and Haleigh Washington (Colorado Springs, Colo.) all were instrumental in helping Penn State play so well.
The second set was a bit more competitive, with Ali Frantti (Spring Grove, Ill.) keeping the Lions ahead of the Blackbirds. It was redshirt sophomore Nia Reed (Fort Lee, N.J.) who sealed the deal for Penn State with a 25-16 final score.
The final set saw Lee provide three kills and two from Thelen, as well as a 13-0 run for Penn State. Reed provided a final kill that closed out the game with the Nittany Lions victorious.
Saturday’s game, another home game for Penn State, had all the makings of an intense competition right from the start.
It was Pitt who took the first set, 25-20, while Penn State got their feet under themselves and got into the groove.
The second set showed a dominant Penn State, with Lee sinking a pair of kills and ace, and Frantti contributing two kills as well. Washington locked in the set win with a kill, 25-16.
The third set was the Lions’ best, with Tori Gorrell (Oakville, Ont.) and Lee helping Penn State to a 6-1 run and a 25-13 set win.
The fourth and final set opened with a 9-5 lead for the Lions thanks to Lee, Gorrell, and Frantti. Although Pitt went on a 3-0, Frantti powered Penn State back with two points, and Gorrell scored the final point (25-18), sending Penn State to the next round of the NCAA tournament.
Penn State will face No. 1 Nebraska this coming Friday, December 9, at noon in Nebraska. Penn
State has historically had highs and lows against the Cornhuskers, and we know Nittany Nation will be rooting for a Nittany Lion victory this Friday!
