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Dec. 13, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A trip the NCAA national semifinals is on the line as No. 5 Penn State women's volleyball (33-3) and No. 4 Wisconsin (31-2) are set to square off in the NCAA regional finals Saturday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. in the KFC Yum! Center. The matchup will broadcast live on ESPNU with Melissa Lee and Missy Whittemore on the call.
Penn State advanced to the final eight with a straight-set victory against No. 12 UCLA (28-26, 25-16, 25-19) Friday evening in the NCAA regional semifinals. The Nittany Lions own a 10-5 mark all-time since the regional finals began in 1993, having most recently outlast Stanford in five sets in the 2013 Lexington regional finals.
Earlier this season, PSU handed Wisconsin its only conference loss of the season, taking down the Badgers in straight sets (25-17, 25-21, 25-22) in the Big Ten opener for both squads in Madison, Wis. September24th. In NCAA tournament action, Penn State holds a 3-0 advantage against the Badgers, having most recently captured a 3-1 win against Wisconsin in the 2013 NCAA national finals to secure Penn State's sixth national crown.
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL RECAP
Behind a duo of double-digit hitters, No. 5 Penn State pushed past No. 12 UCLA in straight sets Friday evening at the KFC Yum! Center to advance to the NCAA regional finals.
Redshirt junior Aiyana Whitney led the offense with 13 kills on .571 hitting, adding three digs and three blocks. Freshman Haleigh Washington posted double-digits with 12 kills on .526 hitting, while also leading the blocking unit with five total blocks.
Senior Nia Grant and freshman Ali Frantti added eight kills apiece, while junior Megan Courtney tallied six. Courtney also finished second on the squad with eight digs and four blocks. Senior Dominique Gonzalez led the defensive effort with nine digs, while senior Lacey Fuller followed close behind with seven digs. Senior Micha Hancock paced the team to a .370 hitting clip, dishing out 41 assists to go along with five digs and three aces.
BADGERS BREAKDOWN: HOW THEY GOT HERE
Fourth-ranked Wisconsin earned a spot in the Louisville regional finals with a close 3-2 win against Ohio State Friday evening at the KFC Yum! Center. The Badgers rallied from behind, 2-1, to top the Buckeyes in a decisive fifth frame. Courtney Thomas and Kelli Bates each totaled double-digit kills in the win, led by a team-high 13 from Thomas. 2014 Big Ten Setter and Player of the Year Lauren Carlini posted a double-double with 17 digs and 43 assists in the win, while also adding four blocks.
NITTANY LIONS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
With an 87-26 all-time record in the NCAA tournament, Penn State has totaled 10 national final appearances ('93, '97, '98, '99, '07, '08, '09, '10, '12 '13), 11 trips to the national semifinals ('93, '94, '97, '98, '99, '07, '08, '09, '10, '12, `13) and six national championships ('99, '07, '08, '09, '10, '13).
REGIONAL FINAL FACTS
Penn State owns a 10-5 record all-time since the regional final match began in 1993. Since defeating Stanford in the 2013 NCAA regional finals in 2013, the Nittany Lions have put together a 6-3 mark in elite eight matches, having only missed the round of eight in 2011.
BIG TEN AT THE BIG DANCE
Six Big Ten teams were selected to the 64-field team in the 2014 NCAA tournament, which ranks second among all participating conference. The Pac-12 conference led all conferences with 10 teams earning selection to the NCAA tournament. Heading into the round of eight, just one Pac-12 team remains (Stanford), while three Big Ten teams (Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska) are still in contention for the national title.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Should the Nittany Lions defeat the Badgers, Penn State will earn its 12th trip to the NCAA national semifinals in program history. Having advanced to the final four in six of the last seven years, PSU would potentially match up against the winner of the Ames, Iowa regional (No. 1 Stanford or No. 8 Florida) in the NCAA national semifinals Friday, Dec. 18 in Oklahoma City, Okla.