UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- No. 8 Penn State came back from two sets down to beat No. 17 Illinois 3-2 (18-25, 24-26, 25-15, 30-28, 15-13) in a matchup of nationally-ranked Big Ten women's volleyball teams Wednesday night at Rec Hall. Gabby Blossom ran the offense, tallying a career-high 58 assists while helping the Nittany Lions up their record to 15-3 overall and 8-1 in the conference.
The Lions took down a tough Illinois team that has faced one of the most difficult league schedules in the country. The Illini dropped to 9-9 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten, but all five losses have come to teams currently in the national rankings — No. 5 Nebraska, No. 7 Minnesota twice, No. 6 Wisconsin, and now No. 8 Penn State. Three of those losses went five sets.
Blossom was one of two Penn State players to record a double-double as she added 13 digs to her assist total. Jonni Parker tallied 17 kills, 15 digs, four blocks, and three aces.
The Lions' sophomore middle blockers have been the most consistent unit on the team this season and that was no different on Wednesday. Serena Gray had a huge performance with 17 kills on .378 hitting, three blocks, and five digs. She clinched the thrilling fifth set with a kill that went off the block and out of bounds. Kaitlyn Hord finished with 11 kills and four total blocks.
Redshirt senior Tori Gorrell had multiple clutch kills as she finished with 14 for the match. She added two solo blocks.
Kendall White is in the middle of her best play of the season. The senior libero matched a career high with four aces for the second consecutive match and registered 21 digs. The two-time All-American is averaging 5.0 kills per set over the last three matches.
After falling behind 2-0, Penn State was in danger of being swept at home by a conference opponent for the first time since losing to Nebraska during the 2017 season. Momentum changed quickly as the Lions opened the third set with a 10-1 advantage on their way to a 25-15 victory.
S3 | #PSUVB 25, Illinois 15
— Penn State Women's Volleyball (@PennStateVBALL) October 24, 2019
Lions roll in set three! We trail 2-1.#WeAre 🦁🏐 #BTNBlockParty pic.twitter.com/d8S2R7gLKp
Things got wild in a do-or-die set four for Penn State. Illinois went on an 8-3 run to take a 24-23 lead, capped by an ace from Diana Brown. The Illini nearly put the match away on a big swing by Kennedy Collins on the next rally, but Keeton Holcomb made a diving dig, Hord dove for the second hit, and Blossom sent the free ball over from her knees. The play eventually ended with a net error on Illinois that tied that match at 24-all.
Illinois had four chances at match point in set four, the final chance coming with a 28-27 lead. A service error tied the set, while back-to-back kills by Parker gave Penn State a 30-28 win and sent the match to a fifth set.
S4 | #PSUVB 30, Illinois 28
— Penn State Women's Volleyball (@PennStateVBALL) October 24, 2019
What. A. Set! Lions win set four on a Parker kill, but let's look at this play that kept the Lions alive when they trailed 24-23. No quit!#WeAre 🦁🏐 pic.twitter.com/Lwb0uqqY9w
Gorrell led the way for Penn State in the fifth set with three kills on four attacks. Parker had four kills, while White came through with an ace that put the Lions up 7-4. Illinois battled back to tie it at 10-all, 11-all, and 12-all before Penn State put it away with three of the final four points. Gray's kill off an assist from Blossom finished off the comeback.
S5 | #PSUVB 15, Illinois 13
— Penn State Women's Volleyball (@PennStateVBALL) October 24, 2019
LIONS WIN! No. 8 Penn State erases a 2-0 deficit to take down No. 17 Illinois. #BTNBlockParty#WeAre 🦁🏐 pic.twitter.com/ChQSmGy4QO
The overall comeback against Illinois came just one match after Penn State erased a 21-14 deficit in set one of a 3-0 win at Michigan State.
Illinois, which advanced to the Final Four of last year's NCAA Tournament, was paced by Jacqueline Quade with 18 kills and 15 digs. Beth Prince finished with 11 kills on .348 hitting, while Mica Allison tallied nine kills on .364 hitting.
Penn State finished with a 10-9 advantage in total blocks. The Lions are 14-0 this season when finishing with more blocks than their opponent and 0-3 when their opponent has more. Five players had at least five kills for the Lions for the second straight match. In addition to Parker, Gray, Gorrell, and Hord, Allyson Cathey recorded six kills.
The Lions are on the road for the third time in four matches when they travel to play Maryland on Saturday. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m., at the XFINITY Center. The Terrapins, who took Penn State to five sets at Rec Hall earlier this season, are 12-9 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten after a 3-2 win over Northwestern on Wednesday.
The 2019 Penn State women's volleyball season is presented by McLanahan's.