Nov. 12, 2010
By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 8 Nittany Lions have won their last eight consecutive matches, which is the longest winning streak thus far for the team's 2010 season. To do one better, they have also won the last 86 consecutive matches in front of the Nittany Lion faithful in Rec Hall. Penn State is looking to continue both streaks this weekend as they host Wisconsin and No. 9 Illinois.
Penn State will host the Badgers at 7 p.m. on Friday night in front of a crowd of fans supporting the fight against breast cancer. The evening will feature a 'Dig Pink' theme and the first 250 fans to enter Rec Hall will be given pink t-shirts.
The Nittany Lions swept Wisconsin earlier this season, and hope to do the same on Friday night. The Badgers are 15-10 overall and have earned a 4-10 record in Big Ten play.
Last time the Nittany Lions faced Wisconsin, they boasted a .355 hitting percentage and held the Badgers to just .147 hitting. Three Penn State hitters notched double-digit kills, including senior Blair Brown (14), freshman Deja McClendon (12) and senior Arielle Wilson (10). McClendon also had a match-high 16 digs and senior Alyssa D'Errico racked up 14 of her own to hold down the defense.
The Nittany Lions will then return to Rec Hall on Saturday to face Big Ten rival No. 9 Illinois. The last time the two teams met, the Illini handed Penn State its second loss of the season in a match that ended 3-2.
The Illini have lost just four matches this season, one of which was to Ohio State this past weekend. Penn State will have to be on their toes as they go up against junior outside hitter Colleen Ward. Ward is close behind with an average of 3.95.
Penn State's offense will also face a tough matchup against senior middle blocker Johannah Bangert and junior outside hitter Michelle Bartsch. Bangert has registered an average 1.24 blocks per set and Bartsch is close behind at 0.84 per set.
The Nittany Lions will be looking to their seniors to step up their game and really lead the team to a winning weekend. You can expect to see seniors Arielle Wilson, Blair Brown, Cathy Quilico and especially Alyssa D'Errico fired up before Saturday night's match against Illinois. All of these seniors agreed that Penn State is capable of beating the Illini, and there is nothing more that they'd rather do.
Don't be surprised if freshmen middle hitters Ariel Scott and Katie Slay step out on the court this weekend as well. Scott has been solid behind the net for the past several weeks now, and has shown versatile talent both as a hitter and a blocker.
Freshman middle hitter Katie Slay had a large hand in Penn State's road wins this past weekend, and will likely make an appearance against the Badgers and the Illini this coming weekend. Slay notched 10 blocks against Michigan last Friday night and then another six against Michigan State on Saturday. The 6-6 freshman rounded out the weekend averaging an impressive 2.3 blocks per set.
Slay said that this past weekend was definitely a confidence booster, but she knows that if she wants to keep playing she will have to earn her spot.
"Well this past weekend yes I was a main player but that doesn't necessarily mean I'll be it next weekend," said Slay. "I have to get in the gym and still work hard and earn the role every day and every week in the gym."
If Slay and Scott do step out on the court this weekend, expect to see the two freshmen team up with Blair Brown for the Penn State triple block. The triple block is something that Slay says is intimidating to opponents, but exciting for her and her teammates.
"I think that's one of the favorite things that we do for me because it's really exciting to see all of us get together for the block," said Slay. "Also I think it puts more pressure on the opponents because they're not used to hitting at the triple block with people our size so it's exciting to see and I know that it helps our defense a lot because the people end up having to hit shots around it."
The Nittany Lions are looking to use the height of Brown, Slay and Scott standing at 6-4, 6-5 and 6-6 to shut down the Badgers and the Illini this weekend. With a little help from another packed Rec Hall, Penn State hopes to have yet another winning weekend at home.