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LINCOLN, Neb. - The No.15 Penn State women's volleyball team (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten) fell to reigning national champion and top-ranked Nebraska (25-1, 16-1 Big Ten), 3-0 (17-25, 14-25, 22-25) on Wednesday night inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Junior outside hitter Ali Frantti led the way for Penn State, logging seven kills in the outing, while classmates Haleigh Washington and Simone Lee posted six apiece.
The back row defense was highlighted once again by standout play from freshman Kendall White at libero. The Indianapolis, Indiana native posted a match-high 18 digs and was the lone Penn State player to log double-figures in the statistical category.
The Nittany Lions return to Happy Valley for the remainder of the regular season schedule. The team next faces the Purdue Boilermakers, taking on the Indiana squad on Saturday, Nov. 19, with first serve set for 7 p.m. ET inside Rec Hall.
Junior right side Heidi Thelen started the match with an emphatic kill. The two sides swapped point-for-point, tying six times to a knot the score at 6-all. The Huskers then opened a 3-0 run, prompting the Nittany Lions to use their first timeout. Out of the break Penn State forged a 4-1 run on an ace from Detering, a kill by Thelen and a block courtesy of Washington and Frantti to tie the match at 10-10. Nebraska countered with a second 3-0 run before a kill from Lee broke up the streak for a 13-11 score. Another strike from Thelen pulled Penn State back within two at a 16-14 score. Nebraska took the next two points, prompting Penn State's second timeout. Thelen pounded her fourth kill out of the break before making a block with Washington the next play to pull within two at 18-16. Nebraska ended the set on a 7-1 run, taking the first 25-17.
Washington opened the second set with a kill before Nebraska took the next five points. Lee made the kill to break up the run and make the score 5-2. Nebraska took two more before Detering swapped with redshirt sophomore Bryanna Weiskircher to take over the setting duties. Lee scored on a ferocious kill following the swap and Thelen made a block the next play to cut the deficit to three. Nebraska scored twice more before Penn State called for time, behind 9-4. The Huskers erred out the break before taking the next five points. Another error from Nebraska stopped the streak before a big block from Detering and Washington the next play made the score 14-7. The Huskers opened another run, with a kills from Washington and Frantti breaking up the Nebraska scores. With Nebraska up 20-10, PSU used its final timeout of the set. A kill from Gorrell to plays later made it 21-11, before the redshirt freshman logged a block two points later. With the score 24-12, a kill from Frantti and an ace from Holcomb fended off set points, but Nebraska logged a final kill for the 25-14 set two win.
A kill from Frantti on the second play of the third set tied it at 1-1. Nebraska made a 4-1 run before a pair of Husker errors closed the gap to one at 5-4. A kill from Gorrell two plays later kept the help the difference at one point. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Clare Powers and Gorrell both notched kills to make the score 9-7 in Nebraska's favor. After another Nebraska score, Penn State made a 4-0 run book-ended by kills from Washington to take an 11-10 lead and force a Huskers timeout. Washington and Lee posted kills before a strike from Frantti made it 14-12 for PSU. Nebraska made a 3-0 run, but an aptly time kill by Lee knotted the match at 15-all. Four plays later, Gorrell hammered home another kill for a 17-17 tie. The two sides tied twice, as a pair of kill from Frantti made the score 19-19. After service error from both sides, Nebraska erred twice more calling time as Penn State regained the lead, 22-21. Nebraska went on to take the next three points, with the Nittany Lions using both timeouts over the span. Nebraska would win the match on an ace, taking the third, 25-22.
NOTES:
Team
- No. 15 Penn State fell to the Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-25, 14-25, 22-25) Friday night inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
- With the loss, Penn State's record advances to 19-9 on the season, with an 11-6 record in Big Ten conference play.
- The loss marked the first time Penn State has been swept since Oct. 29, when Minnesota did so.
- Freshman libero Kendall White posted 18 digs, leading all players in the match. It marked the 25th time this season White has led the Nittany Lions in digs.
Series
- With the loss against the Cornhuskers, Penn State moves to 10-18 all-time against Nebraska.
- Penn State is now 3-15 in matches against Nebraska in Lincoln, while the Penn State loss extends Nebraska's win streak to four against the Nittany Lions.
Players
Ali Frantti, junior outside hitter: Frantti logged a team-best seven kills. She added three digs and a block.
Haleigh Washington, junior middle blocker: Washington charted six kills and a trio of blocks in the loss. Her three blocks tied for the best on the team.
Heidi Thelen, junior opposite: Thelen posted four kills, all in the first set, while adding a team-best three blocks in the sweep.
Simone Lee, junior outside hitter: Lee tallied six kills and seven digs in the sweep in Lincoln.
Kendall White, freshman defense specialist: White registered a team-best 18 digs, leading the team in the statistical category for the 25th time in 2016.