UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 8 Penn State hit .364 as a team and received a big-time performance from Anastasiya Kudryashova in a 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-22) win over Indiana in a Big Ten women's volleyball match Saturday night at Rec Hall. The Lions upped their record to 4-3 overall and in the Big Ten, while the Hoosiers dropped to 2-8, 2-8.
Kudryashova started fast by recording kills on each of her first five swings in the opening set. She went on to register 14 kills on .444 hitting. Jonni Parker led all players with 17 kills on .314 hitting and added eight digs. Annie Cate Fitzpatrick had an efficient night with 10 kills on .421 hitting in addition to nine kills.
Freshman Allie Holland made her collegiate debut and wasted little time in making an impact, sending an overpass right back for a kill in just her second play on the court. Her debut came in the second set and she went on to finish with four kills and no errors on nine swings in addition to two blocks and an ace.
Setter Gabby Blossom and libero Jenna Hampton did their job – and even some of each other's jobs. Blossom had 32 assists, nine digs and two aces, while Hampton contributed nine digs and seven assists.
Penn State never trailed in the first set, but Indiana did pose a threat in the final two. The Hoosiers led as late as 18-17 in set two and tied the score at 19-19 in set three.
The Lions finished way up in most statistical categories for the second-straight night. They held a 52-31 advantage in kills, .364-.170 in hitting percentage, 5-1 in aces and 7-4 in blocks.
Indiana received a solid showing from its six-rotation player, Tommi Stockham. She finished with 11 kills on .391 hitting and added seven digs.
Saturday's match was the fifth in eight days for Penn State. The Lions will have another stretch of five matches in eight days, starting with two matches at Maryland on Feb. 27-28, continuing with a home match against Ohio State on March 3, and finishing with two home matches against Purdue on March 5-6.
Maryland will enter the series against Penn State at 1-9 following a weekend split with Michigan.
Penn State's three losses are still to two teams that remain undefeated with a combined record of 18-0 – Minnesota (9-0) and Ohio State (9-0). All three losses came on the road.
