Aug. 28, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 1 Penn State women's volleyball team (3-0) secured a 3-0 (25-15, 25-9, 25-16) victory against Campbell (0-3) to become the Carolina Classic Champions. The Nittany Lions record-breaking winning streak increased to 105 consecutive matches.
Offensively senior Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.) posted a career-best 19 kills on .679 hitting. Senior Arielle Wilson (Broadview, Ill.) also had double-digit kills with 11 on .647 hitting, while freshman Deja McClendon (Louisville, Ky.) was third on the team with eight. Sophomore Kristin Carpenter (Mechanicsville, Va.) was the starting setter and contributed 25 assists, six digs and two kills. Senior libero Alyssa D'Errico (Byron, N.Y.) registered 19 digs and a career-high six aces. Wilson led the Nittany Lions in blocks with six and sophomore Katie Kabbes (Raleigh, N.C.) was second on the team with four.
The Nittany Lions attacked at a .461 clip and totaled 46 kills, 44 assists, eight aces, 47 digs and 11.0 total team blocks. The Camels finished the match with a .108 attack percentage, 28 kills, 27 assists, 36 digs and zero blocks.
Brown was named the Carolina Classic MVP, while both McClendon and D'Errico were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Penn State opened the match with back-to-back kills by Brown for a 2-0 lead, but Campbell tied it at 3-3 after a PSU attack error and two kills of their own. Brown gave the Nittany Lions back the lead, 4-3, with a kill, but the Camels answered immediately with a kill to tie it again at 4-4. The score tied once more before a kill by Carpenter and two dual blocks by Wilson and Kabbes put PSU up, 9-6. The two squads traded points until Penn State took off on a 6-1 run for a 17-9 advantage. Brown has three kills in the run and McClendon had two. Campbell came within seven, 18-11, but it was the closest the Camels would come for the remainder of the set. Penn State allowed the Camels just four more points before McClendon closed out the set with a kill for a 25-15 win.
The Nittany Lions wasted no time getting ahead in set two taking a 9-2 lead and forcing a Campbell timeout. Brown had three kills, D'Errico had four aces and McClendon and Wilson each put down a kill. The timeout failed to slow the Nittany Lions as they increased their lead to 11, 15-4, midway through the frame. Penn State's offensive onslaught continued Brown tallied two kills, Wilson one and Carpenter one for a 19-6 lead. The Camels managed just three more points before the Nittany Lions secured the set. Two Brown kills, one by Wilson, another D'Errico ace and two Campbell errors gave Penn State a convincing 25-9 victory.
Penn State took a 4-1 lead in the third set with a block, ace and kill by McClendon and a double-block by Brown and freshman Katie Slay (Raleigh, N.C.). A kill and an ace from the Camels brought Campbell within two, 5-3, but a 7-1 run by PSU had the Lions ahead by eight, 12-4. Penn State's lead grew to 10, 16-6, on two kills from McClendon and one from Slay. The Camels fought to within eight on two occasions, but Penn State recorded three kills and an ace to put their lead into double-digits again, 22-11. Campbell managed five more points before a Camel service error and a block by Brown and Slay gave Penn State a 25-16 triumph.
What's Next?
The Nittany Lions open their home slate on Friday, Sept. 3 in a 7 p.m. matchup with Seton Hall in the Hampton Inn Classic at Rec Hall. Penn State faces Colgate (10 a.m.) and VCU (7 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 4.
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women's volleyball 2010 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets at Hershey.