No. 10 W. Volleyball Topples MarylandNo. 10 W. Volleyball Topples Maryland

No. 10 W. Volleyball Topples Maryland


1st2nd3rd4thFinal
Maryland252218181
#10 Penn State
212525253

Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)

Penn State Statistical Leaders
- Kills: S. Lee - 17
- Blocks: H. Washington - 9
- Digs: K. White -19
- Assists: B. Weiskircher - 41
- Aces: Washington, Weiskircher, Frantti - 2
Stat ComparisonPSUUMD
Kills5245
Hitting Pct..186.166
Assists
4844
Aces81
Digs7166
Total Team Blocks
12.011.0
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The 10th-ranked Penn State women's volleyball team (19-7, 11-4 Big Ten) got the best of the Maryland Terrapins (10-17, 2-15 Big Ten), 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18) on Friday evening inside the sold out XFINITY Center Pavilion.

In a group effort, the Nittany Lions defeated Maryland by scoring with a stout blocking presence and double-figure kill outings from juniors Simone Lee and Heidi Thelen. Lee led the team in kills with 17, while Thelen posted 10 of her own, hitting at a .321 clip - the best among Penn State's primary hitters. Thelen added four blocks, good for second best on the Nittany Lion squad.

The team's defense at the net was impressive, as junior middle blocker Haleigh Washington paced the team with a match-best nine blocks while adding eight kills. Junior outside hitter Ali Frantti and Lee added three blocks apiece.

Redshirt sophomore Bryanna Weiskircher assumed the setting role for the evening, posting a double-double with 41 assists and 16 digs. Weiskircher was one of four players to log double-figure digs during the match. Freshman libero Kendall White led the way with 19. Frantti posted 14 digs, while sophomore defensive specialist Keeton Holcomb added 10 of her own. Frantti's 14 marked a season-high in digs.

The Nittany Lions face a quick turnaround, taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio less than 24 hours from the start of the Maryland match. PSU plays OSU tomorrow evening, with first serve set for 7 p.m. ET inside St. John Arena.

Lee opened the first set with a kill and followed it up with a second hammer two plays later for a quick 3-0 lead. The Terrapins responded, taking four of the next five points to tie the match, with the lone PSU point coming on another kill from Lee. Washington's first kill of the night tied the set at 6-6 before a monster stuff from her and Weiskircher the next play gave PSU the one-point advantage. The match would tie again at 8-8 before a kill followed by an ace, both from Washington, made gave PSU a 10-8 edge. After an 11-all tie, Maryland scored three straight when Penn State used its first timeout.

Thelen scored out of the break on a quick kill to pull within two before Maryland jumped to a five-point lead. Thelen again broke up the run before an ace by freshman libero Kendall White cut the lead to two, 17-15, forcing a Maryland timeout. Weiskircher hammered the ball down four plays later to tie the first at 18-all. Maryland strung together three-straight before a kill from Washington and an error pulled PSU within one and Maryland called for time. Maryland then scored four straight before an error held off set point. The Terrapins scored the next point, taking the first, 25-21.

After an early 2-1 Maryland lead in the second, Penn State rattled off five straight on kills from Gorrell, Thelen and Washington, along with a pair of blocks to take a 6-2 lead. Washington spiked the ball before teaming up with Lee the next play for a monster block, forcing Maryland's first timeout with a 10-4 lead. Maryland scored twice out of the break before PSU responded with three points of its own, highlighted by an ace from Weiskircher to make it 14-8 in Penn State's favor. Penn State went on to lead by seven before a 3-0 run from Maryland threatened Penn State's lead, pulling within four at 16-12.

Penn State responded with a short run of its own. A kill by Gorrell was followed by yet another block from Thelen and Washington gave PSU an 18-12 lead, forcing a timeout from the Terrapins. Maryland responded, coming out of the break on a 4-1 spurt to pull within three at 19-16. Penn State called its first timeout of the set before a crafty tip from Washington put Penn State within five points of taking the second set at 20-17. A kill by Frantti made the score 23-19, before Lee's sixth kill led to set point at 24-20. Maryland fended off set point twice when PSU called for time. Penn State put the set away three points later, as an error from the Terrapins sealed it, 25-22.

Weiskircher opened the third frame in emphatic fashion, hammering down an overpass for the set-starting kill. Lee added her seventh kill two plays later before the two sides came to an early 3-3 tie. A block from Washington and Weiskircher, followed by a sneaky kill from the setter the next play made the score 6-3 in Penn State's favor. Penn State took three of the next five points, as kills from Lee and Washington made the score 9-5. Penn State took two of the next three, with a kill from Lee leading to an 11-6 score and pushing the Terrapins to call for a timeout.

Both sides swapped points out of the break before a 3-0 run from the Nittany Lions, capped on an ace from Broerman made the score 16-8. Maryland took three of the next four points before a massive kill from Lee broke up the scoring. The Terrapins erred the next play, calling for time with the score 19-11 for Penn State. At 20-13 Penn State opened up a 3-0 spurt capped by an ace from Washington. Maryland responded with five straight, cutting the lead to five at 23-18. Maryland committed a service error before Weiskircher aced the Terrapins for the win, 25-18.

Frantti scored on the Terrapins with a tricky serve to open the fourth frame. The two sides swapped points early, tying three times with three lead changes, when a kill from Thelen pulled PSU within one at 7-6. Lee hammered a ball off the Maryland block to tie the set at 9-all. The two sides traded blows, tying four more times to get to 13-13. Penn State then opened things up, as a kill from Thelen and a block by Washington and Frantti guided PSU to a 16-13 lead. Maryland then used its first timeout of the set.

Weiskircher scored after a long rally following the timeout. A bad set from Maryland the next play would force a Terrapins timeout as PSU led, 18-13. Frantti and Lee each posted kills to make the score 20-15 before Frantti hammered down another ball the next play. Weiskircher and Washington stuffed the ball before a big swing from Washington set up match point. An errant serve from Maryland wrapped up the match, as the Nittany Lions won the fourth set, 25-18.

NOTES:
Team
- No. 10 Penn State defeated the Maryland Terrapins in four sets on Friday evening, 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18)
- With the win, Penn State's record advances to 19-7 on the season, with an 11-4 record in Big Ten conference play.
- Four Nittany Lions posted double-figure digs in the match. Freshman libero Kendall White led the way with 19. Redshirt sophomore setter Bryanna Weiskircher added 16, junior outside hitter Ali Frantti contributed 14, while sophomore defensive specialist Keeton Holcomb added 10. It marked the first time this season that four players have reached double-figure dig totals in the same match.
- Penn State outmatched Maryland at the service line, with an 8-1 advantage in service aces. Frantti, Washington and Weiskircher posted a pair of aces, while White and senior defensive specialist Laura Broerman added one each.
- The Nittany Lions posted 12 team blocks in the match. Washington led the way with nine, while junior right side Heidi Thelen had four of her own. Frantti and Lee had three each, while Weiskircher and redshirt freshman Tori Gorrell added a pair each.

Series

- With the win against the Terrapins, Penn State moves to 23-5-1 all-time against Maryland.
- Penn State is now 5-2 in matches against Maryland in College Park, while Penn State extends its win streak against Maryland to 20 in a row.

Players

Heidi Thelen, junior opposite: Thelen posted 10 kills on .321 hitting, the best percentage among regular hitters for the Nittany Lions. Additionally, she posted four blocks, the second most on the team.
Haleigh Washington, junior middle blocker: Washington charted a team-high nine blocks and eight kills in the match. She added four digs a pair of aces.
Simone Lee, junior outside hitter: Lee tallied a team-high 17 kills along with five digs and three blocks. This is the 24th time in 2016 that Lee has led Penn State in kills.
Bryanna Weiskircher, redshirt sophomore setter: Weiskircher dished out 41 assists to go along with 16 digs, posting her first double-double of the season. She added six kills, two aces and two blocks.
Kendall White, freshman defense specialist: White registered a team-best 19 digs in the outing, leading Penn State for the 23rd time. She added three assists and an ace.
Keeton Holcomb, sophomore defensive specialist: Holcomb logged out 10 digs and an assist, marking her fourth match of the season with 10 or more digs.
Ali Frantti, junior outside hitter: Frantti logged 14 digs, four kills and three blocks in the four-set match. Her 14 digs marked a season high.