Box Score
Match Photos
| Alisha Glass. |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; October 22, 2006 -- The second-ranked Nittany Lions finished the first round of Big Ten action with a perfect 10-0 mark after downing Michigan State, 3-0, at Rec Hall in front of a 2006 record home crowd of 4,369. Freshman outside hitter Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) and sophomore outside hitter Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) both had double digits kills, with Hodge tallying 14 and Fawcett adding 11. In another great hitting effort, junior Melissa Walbridge (Yardley, Pa.) hit .800 for the night with eight kills in 10 attempts.
Penn State is now 21-0 this season, reaching 20 wins for the 30th consecutive season. Michigan State falls to 13-7 (4-6 Big Ten).
With the Rec Hall fans rocking, the Lions came out strong after beating Michigan the previous night 3-1. Russ Rose1s squad held Michigan State to .009 hitting, and out-blocked the Spartans by a margin of 12.5-7.0 on Saturday night. Freshman setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) posted 35 assists on the evening, while defensive stalwart Roberta Holehouse (Joppa, Md.) accumulated 12 digs.
| Nicole Fawcett. |
The Lions were strong on the net as well, with sophomore Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.) stopping MSU on seven blocks. Hodge added five, including one solo, which tied her career high. Senior Cassy Salyer (Aurora, Colo.) also had five, moving her into seventh place all-time on Penn State1s career blocks list.
Penn State hit .306 on the night, winning by scores of 30-18, 30-22, and 30-13. The Nittany Lions continue Big Ten action next weekend against two teams that were in order behind them in the standings entering tonight1s matches. No. 2 Penn State travels to No. 11 Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 27 for a 7 p.m. tilt on ESPN2. The Nittany Lions then meet No. 17 Minnesota the next night in Minneapolis to end the Top 25 swing. That match will start at 7 p.m.
Penn State returns home on Friday, Nov. 3 vs. Purdue at 7 p.m. Indiana will be Saturday, Nov. 41s guest for a 7 p.m. tilt in Rec Hall.