Nov. 25, 2009
Complete release in pdf format
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 1 Penn State women's volleyball team concludes the 2009 regular season at home this weekend with matches versus Michigan State and Michigan. The Nittany Lions face the Spartans on Friday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. and the Wolverines on Saturday, No. 28 also at 7 p.m. Saturday's match is also senior night.
The Nittany Lions clinched their seventh straight and 13th overall Big Ten Title with a 3-0 sweep of Indiana on Nov. 21. The squad will be honored in a ceremony following the match with Michigan on Saturday.
Live stats and live audio for both matches this weekend will be available via a link at GoPSUsports.com. Penn State's match with Michigan will be taped and broadcast on the Big Ten Network at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 29.
Penn State Preview
The top-ranked Nittany Lions improved to 30-0 and 18-0 in conference play after defeating Purdue, 3-1, and Indiana, 3-0, on Nov. 20-21. Penn State clinched its seventh straight and 13th overall Big Ten title with the win at Indiana. The Nittany Lions also reached 30 wins for the 22nd time under head coach Russ Rose.
Penn State attacked at a combined .350 clip in matches against the Boilermakers and Hoosiers. The Nittany Lions averaged 15.14 kills per set, 14.43 assists per set, 0.57 aces per set, 11.71 digs per set and 4.14 blocks per set. Senior Megan Hodge, who eclipsed the 2,000 mark in career kills, led the team averaging 4.71 kps and senior setter Alisha Glass paced the PSU offense with a 12.43 assists per set average. Junior Alyssa D'Errico averaged 4.43 dps and junior Fatima Balza had a team-best average of 2.00 blocks per set.
The Nittany Lions extended their NCAA-record winning streak to 94 consecutive matches and their Big Ten winning streak to 63 straight matches. Penn State sits atop the all-time Big Ten consecutive wins list and owns the top three spots. Penn State's home-match winning streak currently sits at 70 and their road-match winning streak is at 49.
Scouting the Spartans
Michigan State is currently 17-13 overall with a 5-13 conference record. The Spartans have only won one of their last six matches. MSU swept Purdue, 3-0, on Nov. 14 and has since lost five-set matches to both Michigan and Minnesota.
Penn State vs. Michigan State
The Nittany Lions own a 32-6 record against the Spartans. Penn State swept Michigan State on Nov. 17 in East Lansing by set scores of 25-11, 25-18 and 25-12. The Nittany Lions have not suffered a setback to the Spartans since Nov. 1, 2002.
Scouting the Wolverines
Michigan, who is fourth in the Big Ten standings, is on a five-match winning streak heading into this weekend. Three of their last four matches have gone to a full five sets before the Wolverines were able to put the match away. Prior to arriving in State College, the Wolverines make a stop at Ohio State on Friday, Nov. 27.
Penn State vs. Michigan
Penn State is 37-3 all-time against the Wolverines. Earlier this season, the Nittany Lions defeated UM in five sets at Cliff Keen Arena in front of a sell-out crowd. Penn State hasn't lost to the Wolverines since Nov. 2, 2002.
What's Next?
The Nittany Lions enter their 29th NCAA tournament when First and Second Rounds begin the weekend of Dec. 4. ESPNews will announce the campus locations on Nov. 29 at 3 p.m.