Oct. 4, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 15 Penn State (12-3, 4-0 Big Ten) closes out its four-match home stand with a pair of Big Ten contests this week. The Nittany Lions will look to White Out Rec Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 5, when they face the No. 1 Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-1, 4-0 Big Ten) at 7 p.m.
PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Penn State encourages fans to wear white on Wednesday evening in an effort to "White Out Rec Hall." All fans will receive free promotional shakers. The first 200 students to arrive on match day will receive free t-shirts and pizza.
FIRST SERVE
- Penn State enters Friday night on a ten-match win streak after logging its first two victories over top-25 opponents of the season. The Nittany Lions are coming off their seventh and eighth straight-set victories of the season, after downing then-No. 18 Michigan State, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-13) on Friday and then-No. 22 Michigan, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-15) Saturday evening.
- Ali Frantti made an impressive jump in the weekend slate, posting a team-high 21 kills over the weekend while hitting at a .383 clip. The junior added 11 digs, five assists and two blocks. She was frequently targeted on the serve by Michigan, but responded to the challenge, making 26 flawless receptions in the match.
- The Michigan match featured a balanced offense in which Penn State matched its highest kills output in a three set match this season with 47. Five players tallied six or more kills. Frantti led the way with 11. Redshirt freshman Tori Gorrell had nine, while juniors Simone Lee and Haleigh Washington added eight apiece. Right side Heidi Thelen notched six kills on a team-best .667 hitting. Junior setter Abby Detering guided the team to a .432 hitting clip while logging her third season double-double with 35 assists and 11 digs.
- Penn State alums and bronze medalists Christa Dietzen and Alisha Glass were both honored for their success in Rio at Friday evening's match. The duo comprises of the third and fourth Penn State volleyball alumnae to medal at the Olympics.
» Washington and Lee both rank among the nation's best in statistical categories. Washington ranks eighth in the country in hitting percentage (.422), while Simone Lee's 4.00 kills per set rank 40th in NCAA Division I.
- Penn State's ability to limit opponent's offense has been unmatched this season. The Nittany Lions lead the country in limiting opponent's hitting percentage, holding the opposition to a measly .100 efficiency.
- PSU finds itself among the top 25 in the country in two other statistical categories. The Nittany Lions have hit the ball at a .309 clip in 2016, coming in second in the league and fifth nationally. Penn State also averages 2.78 blocks per set, coming in seventh in the Big Ten and 22nd among Division I programs
- Penn State climbed to No. 15 in the latest release of the AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. PSU has 11 matches against teams represented within the top 25. Including the Nittany Lions, a total of nine Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25.
NITTANY LIONS' POTENT DEFENSE LEADS NATION
In the seventh week of play, Penn State has become the toughest defense in the nation for opposing teams to cope with. While 22nd nationally in blocks per set, the Nittany Lions have forced opponents to a measly .100 hitting combined, marking the lowest opponent hitting percentage in the country. The next lowest opponent hitting percentage in the Big Ten is .044 points higher, with Wisconsin limiting foes to a .144 clip.
PENN STATE OFFENSE RANKS TOP IN THE LEAGUE
With two weeks of league play in the books, Penn State has proved to be the most statistically impressive offense in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions top conference-only stats in both kills per set (14.00) and hitting percentage (.370). The offensive success is rooted in junior setter Abby Detering, who averages a B1G second-best 11.25 assists per set. Additionally, four Penn State players find themselves among the top 15 in hitting efficiency within league play - Haleigh Washington (.460, third), Tori Gorrell (.415, sixth), Heidi Thelen (.362, 11th) and Ali Frantti (.356, 13th).
FRANTTI READJUSTS IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Since the beginning of the conference season, it seems Ali Frantti has made the necessary adjustments to be successful in league play. Second on the team in kills per set during conference matches, Frantti has jumped nearly a kill per set in Big Ten action, averaging 3.08 per frame. The junior has also stood out passing Coach Rose noted, most recently being on the receiving end of 26 serves without being aced while adding seven digs against the Wolverines.
LEE'S OFFENSE GUIDES NITTANY LIONS
With double-figure kills in all but two matches this season, junior Simone Lee's 4.00 kills per set ranks third in the Big Ten standings and 40th nationally. Lee also ranks 44th in points nationally, logging 4.61 per set. Lee posted a team-best 12 kills against Michigan State before adding eight against Michigan.
DETERING AT THE HELM
Junior transfer Abby Detering (Florida) and redshirt sophomore Bryanna Weiskircher split time early in the non-conference slate at the setting position. Having started the last 11 consecutive matches, Detering has become an anchor at the position. Last weekend Detering posted 69 assists, 17 digs, six kills and three blocks while guiding the Nittany Lions to a pair of sweeps and .380 hitting over two matches. Detering also notched her third double-double of the season against the Michigan Wolverines, logging 35 assists and 11 digs.
WASHINGTON TOP TEN NATIONALLY IN EFFICIENCY
Junior Haleigh Washington continues to be one of the most consistent offensive threats in the country in 2016, ranking among the best in the nation in hitting efficiency. Hitting at a .422 clip in all matches this season, the Colorado Springs, Colorado product ranks second in the Big Ten and eighth in NCAA Division I in hitting percentage.
THELEN SHIFTS TO RIGHT SIDE
After limited time on the court in her first two seasons, junior Heidi Thelen has found her niche, moving to the right side this season. The move has paid dividends, with Thelen ranking third on the team in hitting percentage (.350) and fourth in kills (90). Most recently, Thelen scored on six kills on nine error-less swings for a .667 clip in the match against Michigan.
WHITE LOCKED IN AT LIBERO
With 15 matches of the 2016 season in the books, freshman defensive specialist Kendall White has made a name for herself this season, starting each match at libero. Since the Indianapolis, Indiana product has been exceptional, leading the team with 3.62 digs per set, good for ninth in the conference. The rookie is half a dig per set shy of the conference's top five. Through conference matches, White has charted 40 digs, good for a 3.33 per set average.
AVCA POLL UPDATE: RELEASE 7
Penn State jumped another spot, now ranked No. 15 in the latest release of the AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Nittany Lions opened the season ranked No. 9 in the Preseason Poll, before moving to No. 13 and No. 16 in last week's release. PSU has 11 matches against teams represented within the top 25. Including the Nittany Lions, a total of nine Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25.
NITTANY LION ALUMS EARN BRONZE WITH TEAM USA
Penn State women's volleyball All-American alums Alisha Glass and Christa (Harmotto) Dietzen earned a Bronze medal with the United States Women's National Team at the Olympic Games in Rio.
Having played key roles for Team USA throughout the event, Glass and Dietzen helped the United States to a 3-1 (25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 25-19) win against the Netherlands to clinch The Americans' second Bronze medal since the 1992 games in Barcelona, Spain. Team USA went 6-0 through Pool play before a close 3-2 loss to Serbia in the semifinals moved the United States to 6-1 heading into the Bronze medal match.
Penn State women's volleyball now has four Olympic medalists in Nittany Lion program history as Glass earns her first and Dietzen picks up her second consecutive. Having previously earned Silver with the U.S. at the 2012 Games in London, Dietzen is Penn State's first women's volleyball alum to win two Olympic medals as a member of the 12-woman roster.
From Hopewell Township, Pa., Dietzen was a two-time first-team All-American and the 2008 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in women's volleyball. From Leland, Mich., Glass also was a two-time first-team All-American for the Nittany Lions. Glass was a member of the initial three national title squads and Dietzen was a member of the first two squads, playing for Hall of Fame Coach Russ Rose.
WHAT'S UP NEXT?
Penn State follows up its home matches with a road trip to Indiana next weekend. The Blue and White begin the road trip taking on Purdue on Friday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. before a quick turnaround to face the Indiana Hoosiers the next night on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.