Dec. 12, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -
Complete NCAA Semifinal Notes in PDF Format
The top-ranked Big Ten champion Penn State women's volleyball team (32-2) continues its NCAA title quest when it faces No. 6 California (26-7) in the NCAA Semifinals on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 8:00 p.m. PT (11:00 p.m. ET) at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. The other NCAA Semifinal features No. 4 Stanford (31-2) and No. 5 Southern California and begins at 6:00 p.m. PT (9:00 p.m. ET). The winners of each of the matches will meet in the NCAA title contest at 6:00 p.m. PT (9:00 p.m. ET) on Saturday, Dec. 15.
Gametracker will be available for all matches at www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State-Cal match will be broadcast live on ESPNU and shown on ESPN2 on a tape-delay basis on Friday, Dec. 14 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The match can also be heard online at www.GoPSUsports.com and in the State College area on 3WZ radio (95.3 FM). Those in the State College area who do not get ESPNU are invited to attend a viewing party in 111 Forum Building (located on Curtain Road between Eisenhower Chapel and the Palmer Museum of Art) on the University Park campus and are asked to RSVP to bnloftus@yahoo.com as soon as possible with the number attending. The National Championship match will air live on ESPN2.
Previewing Penn State
The Big Ten Champion Nittany Lions enter the week with a 32-2 record after sweeping No. 19 Michigan (30-15, 30-18, 30-18) and No. 17 Brigham Young (30-23, 30-15, 30-18) last weekend in the Regional Championship held at Rec Hall. Sophomore outside hitter Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) and junior outside hitter Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) lead the Lions with 4.60 and 4.47 kills per game, respectively, as junior outside hitter Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.) chips in 3.13 kills per game on .494 hitting, a mark that is second in the country to Stanford's Foluke Akinradewo. Sophomore setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) directs the offense with 13.00 assists per game and junior libero Roberta Holehouse (Joppa, Md.) tops the defense with 3.93 digs per game as Hodge adds in 2.59 dpg. University Park Regional Most Outstanding Player freshman middle hitter Arielle Wilson (Broadview, Ill.) heads the blocking list with 1.84 blocks per game while Harmotto is averaging 1.68 bpg. As a team, Penn State is hitting .351 with 17.11 kills per game, 1.63 service aces per game, 13.63 digs per game and 3.88 blocks per game.
Scouting California
The Golden Bears begin the week with a 26-7 mark after sweeping No. 18 Iowa State (30-27, 30-27, 30-24) and defending national champion No. 2 Nebraska (30-28, 31-29, 30-26) last weekend in Madison, Wis. Sophomore outside hitter Hana Cutura and senior outside hitter Angie Pressey lead the squad with 4.25 and 4.19 kills per game, respectively, as senior middle hitter Ellen Orchard and junior Morgan Beck add in 2.56 and 2.41 kpg. Freshman setter Carli Lloyd dishes out 12.84 assists per game and sophomore libero Kristen Kathan picks up 3.72 digs per game to lead the defense. Orchard tops the blocking chart with 1.63 blocks per game. As a team, California is hitting .269 with 15.98 kills per game, 1.73 service aces per game, 14.02 digs per game and 3.75 blocks per game.
The Series: Penn State vs. California
This will be the first meeting between Penn State and California in the sport of women's volleyball.
The Series Versus Possible National Championship Opponents
Southern California Penn State trails Southern California, 2-1, in a series that began in 1980. The last meeting was a four-game Nittany Lion victory (30-23, 30-27, 28-30, 30-28) on Aug. 31, 2005 at the Hawaiian Airlines Classic. The Trojans claimed the only meeting in NCAA action in three games (15-11, 15-9, 15-4) on Dec. 8, 2000 in the Regional Final match in Los Angeles, Calif.
Stanford Penn State trails Stanford, 5-4, in a series that began in 1992. The last meeting was a five-game Cardinal victory (30-23, 23-30, 27-30, 30-28, 15-9) on Sept. 15, 2007 in New Haven, Conn. The last Nittany Lion win was a five-game victory (31-29, 23-30, 30-25, 26-30, 15-12) on Sept. 10, 2004 in Stanford, Calif. The last three meetings between the schools have gone to five games. In NCAA play, Stanford leads 2-1, with the lone Penn State win a three-game victory (15-2, 15-10, 15-7) on Dec. 18, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii, to give the Nittany Lions their first NCAA National Title.
The Road To The Title - How They Got Here
No. 1 Penn State def. Siena, 3-0 def. Albany, 3-0 def. Michigan, 3-0 def. BYU, 3-0
No. 6 California
def. Liberty, 3-1 def. Duke, 3-1 def. Iowa State, 3-0 def. Nebraska, 3-0
No. 4 Stanford
def. Santa Clara, 3-0 def. Sacramento State, 3-0 def. Cal Poly, 3-0 def. UCLA, 3-1
No. 5 USC
def. Pepperdine, 3-0 def. Long Beach State, 3-2 def. St. John's, 3-2 def. Texas, 3-0
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.