Nov. 9, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 10 Penn State (18-7, 10-4 Big Ten) takes part in two of its final three road contests of the regular season this weekend, facing Maryland (10-16, 2-12 Big Ten) on Friday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m. in College Park, Maryland, before taking on Ohio State (15-11, 5-9 Big Ten) on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio.
FIRST SERVE:
- The matchup against the Terrapins marks the first and only time in 2016 that the two sides will meet.
- The trip to Columbus marks the second time in 2016 that Penn State will face the Buckeyes. Last time the two sides met, PSU took down then-No. 19 Ohio State in straight sets, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-17). Penn State out-blocked OSU 11.0-4.0. Redshirt freshman Tori Gorrell paced the team at the net with a total of six blocks while adding five kills on a .500 attacking clip. Juniors Haleigh Washington and Heidi Thelen posted three blocks apiece.
- Penn State snapped its four-match losing streak last weekend, taking down the Iowa Hawkeyes in straight sets. The Nittany Lions strung together debatably their finest blocking performance of the season while taking down Iowa. PSU logged 14 total blocks, with the 11-block margin and 4.67 block per set both marking the top outputs by Penn State in a single match this season.
- Junior Haleigh Washington was recognized last week as a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, becoming one of 56 players in the country eligible for Academic All-America distinction. It was her second time earning Academic All-District status.
- Juniors Haleigh Washington and Simone Lee both rank among the nation's best in statistical categories. Washington ranks second in the country in hitting percentage (.444), while Lee's 4.25 kills per set rank 32nd in NCAA Division I. Both Washington and Lee's numbers lead the Big Ten conference.
- Three Penn State players in Lee, Washington and redshirt freshman Tori Gorrell all have chances to place among the top-five during the 25-point rally scoring era in single-season statistical categories. Lee (average kills/set) and Washington (hitting percentage) would rank second and fourth, respectively, in their categories if the season ended today. Lee (total kills, 370) and Gorrell (total block solos, 20) are both poised to crack the top five as well.
- PSU finds itself among the top 30 in the country in three statistical categories as a team. The Nittany Lions have hit the ball at a .296 clip in 2016, coming in second in the Big Ten and sixth nationally. The team has also been one of the country's best in limiting opponents, holding foes hitting percentage to a .151 clip, also second in the Big Ten and tenth in the nation. Penn State averages 2.68 blocks per set, coming in fourth in the Big Ten and 23rd among Division I programs
- Penn State moved back to No. 10 in the country in the most recent release of the AVCA poll. The Nittany Lions opened the season ranked No. 9, with rankings spanning from No. 9 again two weeks ago and as low as No. 20. PSU has seven opponents represented within the top 25. Including the Nittany Lions, a total of six Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25. Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa and Purdue are receiving votes on the ballot. For the first time in 2016, Penn State received a first-place vote after downing then-top ranked Minnesota.
PENN STATE VS. WEEK 12 OPPONENTS
The Nittany Lions head into Friday night's matchup with Maryland leading the all-time series 22-5-1. PSU carries a 4-2 record in College Park against the Terrapins, and has won the last 19 meetings against Maryland.
Penn State will head to Columbus with a 47-14 record in all contests against the Buckeyes and are the victors in the last 19 meetings with the team. The Nittany Lions are 20-8 on the road against Ohio State all-time.
LEE, WASHINGTON, GORRELL ON TRACK FOR RECORD SEASONS
Having impressive seasons thus far, junior classmates Simone Lee and Haleigh Washington are both on-track for seasons that rank among the best during the 25-point rally scoring era. Lee, averaging 4.25 kills per set currently, would rank second during the era for single-season kills per set. Washington, currently hitting at a .444 clip, would finish fourth in single-season hitting efficiency if the season ended today.
In addition to the running averages, Lee currently has 370 kills on the season. With 62 more, she could crack the top five for total kills in a single season during the 25-point rally scoring era. Redshirt freshman Tori Gorrell has 20 solo stuffs so far in 2016. With just four more she could match Haleigh Washington's output from 2015 with 24 to tie for the fifth-most in the 25-point rally scoring era.
25-POINT RALLY SCORING SINGLE SEASON TOTAL KILLS
Rank K Name, Year
1. 560 Megan Hodge, 2009
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4. 469 Ariel Scott, 2012
5. 432 Deja McClendon, 2011
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370 Simone Lee, 2016
25-POINT RALLY SINGLE SEASON TOTAL BLOCK SOLOS
Rank TB Name, Year
1. 32 Megan Courtney, 2012
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4. 27 Katie Slay, 2011
5. 24 Haleigh Washington, 2015
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20 Tori Gorrell, 2016
WEISKIRCHER STARTS AGAINST IOWA
Junior transfer Abby Detering (Florida) and redshirt sophomore Bryanna Weiskircher split time early in the non-conference slate at the setting position. It looked as if Detering would be the solution, starting 18 consecutive matches, before the staff decided to start Bryanna Weiskircher at setter for the first set of the match at Minnesota. Detering resumed the setting role in the second set, logging 26 assist in the final two sets - Weiskircher posted 12 in her single set of action. Penn State then reverted to Weiskircher halfway through its first meeting between the Nittany Lions and Nebraska. After a strong showing in the Nebraska match, the staff decided to start Weiskircher, who posted 29 assists while guiding the team to a .345 hitting clip in the sweep of Iowa.
PENN STATE INVITES IOWA TO BLOCK PARTY
Penn State put together one of its most dominant blocking performances of the season on Nov. 5, when PSU notched 14 blocks in the three-set sweep of Iowa. The 11-block margin was the largest of the season for the Nittany Lions, as was the 4.67 block per set team average. Additionally, despite being a three-set match, the 14 total block output was the second largest this season by Penn State.
WASHINGTON NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Junior middle blocker Haleigh Washington earned Academic All-District honors, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday afternoon. It was Washington's second time being honored as a part of the Academic All-District team, as the Colorado Springs, Colorado, native was named to the All-District team last season, before going on to earn Second Team Academic All-America honors. In the classroom, Washington is a double major in philosophy and psychology, boasting an impressive 3.83 grade point average. In total, 56 student-athletes from the Division I ranks are selected to the Academic All-District teams. All members of the All-District teams are eligible for Academic All-America consideration, which will be announced on December 8.
NITTANY LIONS' AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE IN EFFICIENCY
Penn State has been extremely successful keeping its offense among the top in the country. Following 11 weeks of play, the Nittany Lions rank second in the Big Ten and sixth in Division I in hitting efficiency, attacking a .296 clip. 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 .444 clip in all matches this season, the Colorado Springs, Colorado, product leads the Big Ten and ranks second in NCAA Division I in hitting percentage.
The Nittany Lions not only excel at having one of the most efficient offenses in the country, but also at limiting those of the opposition. PSU currently ranks tenth nationally and ranks second in the Big Ten in limiting opponents hitting, holding foes to a .151 clip.
LEE'S OFFENSE GUIDES NITTANY LIONS
With double-figure kills in all but four matches this season, junior Simone Lee's 4.25 kills per set leads the Big Ten standings and places 32nd nationally. Lee also ranks 31st in points nationally, logging 4.76 per set. Lee posted a record-setting 30 kills against Minnesota on Oct. 5 before posting another 27 against Michigan in the team's most recent five-setter. Lee has exceeded 20 kills in four matches this season. With 370 kills thus far, Lee has accounted for nearly 32% of the Penn State offense.
PSU MIDDLES A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH
The duo of Penn State starting middle blockers junior Haleigh Washington and redshirt freshman Tori Gorrell has become one of the most talented tandems in the Big Ten conference. Both rank among the top 15 in blocks per set within the conference, with Washington coming in at No. 10, averaging 1.17 per set, while Gorrell is ranked No. 14 with 1.07 per set.
WHITE LOCKED IN AT LIBERO
With 25 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 3.94 digs per set, good for seventh in the conference. The rookie posted her most impressive performance to date in the five-set match with Nebraska in which she posted 32 digs. It marked the first time since Nov. 27, 2010 that a player has registered 30 or more digs.
AVCA POLL UPDATE: RELEASE 11
Penn State moved back to No. 10 in the country in the most recent release of the AVCA poll. The Nittany Lions opened the season ranked No. 9, with rankings spanning from No. 9 again three weeks ago and as low as No. 20. PSU has seven opponents represented within the top 25. Including the Nittany Lions, a total of six Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25. Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa and Purdue are receiving votes on the ballot. For the first time in 2016, Penn State received a first-place vote after downing then-top ranked Minnesota.
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 will take to Lincoln, Nebraska to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers next, on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 9 p.m. The match is set to broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network. Afterwards, PSU will return home, facing Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall.