Oct. 15, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The ninth-ranked Penn State women's volleyball team (13-5, 6-2 Big Ten) earned a 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-21) sweep of Indiana (8-12, 0-8 Big Ten). The Nittany Lions are back in action on Wednesday, Oct. 19 vs. Ohio State at home in Rec Hall.
Sophomore Deja McClendon (Louisville, Ky.) led the Nittany Lions with 13 kills, while sophomore Ariel Scott (Ridgewood, N.J.) was second on the team with 12. Freshman Micha Hancock (Edmond, Okla.) dished out 31 assists, while sophomore Ali Longo (Littleton, Colo.) had a match-high 11 digs. Freshman Nia Grant (Warren, Ohio) tied for the team lead with sophomore Katie Slay (Raleigh, N.C.) with five blocks.
Penn State hit .221 and held the Hoosiers to .023. The Lions totaled 37 kills, four aces, 32 digs and 10.0 total team blocks. Indiana finished the match with 27 kills, two aces, 26 digs and 9.0 team blocks.
The Nittany Lions got off to a slow start as the Hoosiers jumped out to a 6-2 lead. However, back-to-back McClendon kills sparked a 10-2 run that moved Penn State into the lead, 12-8. Indiana tallied two kills, but a 4-1 Nittany Lion run had PSU comfortably ahead by six, 17-11. Penn State maintained at least a six-point advantage until two straight blocks increased the gap to nine, 22-13. Indiana called a timeout, but two kills by Scott had Penn State at set point, 24-15. The Hoosiers called another timeout and managed to hold the Lions for three straight points before Scott pounded a kill to close out set one for PSU, 25-18.
Penn State opened set two taking a 5-2 lead, but the Hoosiers fought back to tie the set at 8-8. A PSU error put Indiana in the lead, 9-8, but a Martin kill and a Hoosier error had Penn State with a slim 10-9 lead. The score tied twice more before a Grant ace and a McClendon kill moved Penn State ahead by two, 13-11. Despite a PSU service error, McClendon sparked a 7-1 run for a convincing 21-13 lead. Indiana called a timeout and managed three final points before three consecutive Lion kills, including two from freshman Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, N.J.) secured set two for Penn State, 25-16.
The Lions opened the third set taking a 4-2 lead. Kristen Seaton put down a kill to keep the Hoosiers close, 4-3, but a 5-1 PSU run had the Nittany Lions leading 9-4. After an Indiana timeout, the Hoosiers grabbed a point from an Ivie Obeime kill. Penn State answered back with a 4-0 run to pushed Penn State ahead by eight, 13-5, and forcing another Indiana timeout. Obeime recorded another kill before two Scott kills and an Indiana error had Penn State with a 16-7 lead. A 3-0 Hoosier run cut the Nittany Lion lead to six, 16-10, but a 3-1 kept Penn State in control, 19-11. Indiana then embarked on a 5-2 run to be within five of PSU, 21-16, and send Penn State to the bench for a timeout. The timeout didn't faze the Hoosiers who tallied three straight points before a McClendon kill and a Hancock ace had the Lions just two points from taking the set. Seaton moved Indiana within three, 23-20, before kills from McClendon and Scott won the third set for the Lions, 25-21.
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women's volleyball 2011 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets.