Dec. 4, 2007
Complete Penn State NCAA Regional Match Notes in PDF Format
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The top-ranked Big Ten champion Penn State women's volleyball team (30-2) continues its NCAA title quest at Rec Hall when it hosts Big Ten-rival No. 19 Michigan (24-10) Friday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Rec Hall in the NCAA Regional Semifinals. The other Regional Semifinal match features No. 17 Brigham Young (23-7) and No. 16 Middle Tennessee (35-2) and begins at 5:00 p.m. The winners of each of the matches will meet in the NCAA Regional Final contest at 6:30 p.m. at Rec Hall on Saturday, Dec. 8. The winner of the NCAA Regional Final advances to the NCAA National Semifinal, to be held on Thursday, Dec. 13 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. The NCAA National Championship match is slated for Saturday, Dec. 15.
Gametracker will be available for all three matches at www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State-Michigan match will be broadcast locally by WPSU-TV and also streamed online, and live video streaming will be available for the BYU-Middle Tennessee match, both also at www.GoPSUsports.com. The Big Ten Network will re-air the Penn State-Michigan match on Friday at 11:00 p.m. ET and again on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The NCAA Regional Final match will be aired live on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
The first 300 Penn State students each night will gain admission for free at the student gate at the far right of Rec Hall, Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m.
ALL SESSION tickets (three matches) for the NCAA Regional Championship MUST be purchased at the Bryce Jordan Center Ticket office or by calling 814-865-5555 or 1-800-863-3336 and are on sale now up until 4:30 p.m. on Friday. All-session tickets are $16 for adults and $10 for youth and students with a valid college or university ID. SINGLE-SESSION tickets WILL ONLY be available at Rec Hall on Friday and Saturday and are $10 for adults and $7 for youth and students. Groups of 10 or more, regardless of age, are just $4 per person and can be purchased in advance by calling the BJC Ticket Office. All seating is general admission.
Previewing Penn State
The Big Ten Champion Nittany Lions enter the weekend with a 30-2 overall record after sweeping both Siena (30-19, 30-11, 30-14) and Albany (30-15, 30-9, 30-19) last weekend in NCAA First and Second Round action at Rec Hall. Sophomore outside hitter Megan Hodge and junior outside hitter Nicole Fawcett lead the squad with 4.63 and 4.50 kills per game, respectively, as junior middle hitter Christa Harmotto adds in 3.10 kills per game on .489 hitting, good for second in the nation. Sophomore setter Alisha Glass directs the offense with 12.98 assists per game and junior libero Roberta Holehouse tops the defense with 3.85 digs per game. Freshman middle hitter Arielle Wilson tops the blocking list with 1.81 blocks per game and Harmotto ranks second with 1.64 bpg. As a team, Penn State is hitting .347 with 17.15 kills per game, 1.55 service aces per game, 13.68 digs per game and 3.81 blocks per game.
Scouting Michigan
The Wolverines come into Friday's match with a 24-10 overall record after sweeping Miami (Ohio) (30-16, 30-18, 30-27) and No. 21 Colorado State (30-24, 30-27, 30-23) last weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. Senior outside hitter Katie Bruzdzinski leads the team with 4.68 kills per game as Beth Karpiak, Lyndsay Miller and Veronica Rood chip in 3.03, 2.95 and 2.79 kills per game, respectively. Freshman setter Lexi Zimmerman directs the squad with 13.30 assists per game as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year senior libero Stesha Selsky tops the defense with 6.03 digs per game. Karpiak heads the blocking list with 1.08 blocks per game. As a team, Michigan is hitting .237 with 16.42 kills per game, 1.40 service aces per game, 18.14 digs per game and 2.21 blocks per game.
The Series: Penn State vs. Michigan
Penn State leads Michigan, 33-3, in a series that began in 1981. The last meeting was a four-game Nittany Lion victory (30-21, 30-22, 30-32, 30-21) on Nov. 24, 2007 in Ann Arbor in the last match of the Big Ten season. The last meeting at Rec Hall was a three-game Penn State win (30-16, 30-28, 30-22) on Oct. 12, 2007.
The Series Versus Possible Regional Final
Brigham Young
Penn State leads Brigham Young, 5-4, in a series that began in 1983. The last meeting was a four-game Nittany Lion win (30-26, 27-30, 30-17, 30-11) on Sept. 4, 2004, at Rec Hall.
Middle Tennessee
This will be the first meeting between Penn State and Middle Tennessee in the sport of women's volleyball.
The Road To Regionals - How They Got Here
Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Penn State
Albany def. Cleveland State, 3-0
Penn State def. Siena, 3-0
Saturday, Dec. 1 - Penn State def. Albany, 3-0
Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Michigan
Colorado State def. Illinois State, 3-0
Michigan def. Miami (Ohio), 3-0
Saturday, Dec. 1 - Michigan def. Colorado State, 3-0
Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Louisville
Hawaii def. Tennessee State, 3-0
Middle Tennessee def. Louisville, 3-2
Saturday, Dec. 1 - Middle Tennessee def. Hawaii, 3-1
Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Washington
BYU def. Mississippi, 3-0
Washington def. Missouri, 3-2
Saturday, Dec. 1 - BYU def. Washington, 3-2
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.