Penn State Opens Conference Play with Key Win over Nebraska

Story posted September 20, 2012 in CommRadio, Sports by Bradford Conners

With all eyes in the volleyball world fixed upon Rec Hall Wednesday night, fourth-ranked Penn State (11-1) came from behind to knock off third-ranked Nebraska (8-2) with a 3-1 victory in their Big Ten opener.

Right from the start, the match between the conference’s top two teams was very closely contested, with neither team able to expand their lead beyond two through the midway point of the first set. Clinging to a 14-13 lead, the Cornhuskers became the first to put together a run, as they won three consecutive points behind the attacking of Gina Mancuso and Meghan Haggerty to open up a four point advantage.

With Penn State trailing 23-18 and in danger of dropping the opening set for the first time all season, they managed to fight back and cut the deficit to one behind the strong serve of Micah Hancock, but Nebraska would hold off the late Nittany Lion charge and take the first set, 25-23.

Penn State had more blocks and digs than Nebraska in the first set and hit for a higher percentage, yet they found themselves in unfamiliar territory, having to play from behind. They responded well though to start off the second set as they quickly opened up an 11-5 lead.

Penn State looked to be in position to cruise to a win in the second game, but this time, it was Nebraska’s turn to stage a late comeback. The Cornhuskers erased a 22-19 deficit with a 4-0 run, capped off by two straight kills from Haggerty, a freshman.

However, with the help of the Rec Hall faithful and several calls that were very much to the distaste of Nebraska coach John Cook, Penn State stayed alive. They fought off two Nebraska set points before eventually sending the crowd into a frenzy when Nia Grant and Deja McClendon combined to register Penn State’s fifth block of the set and give the Nittany Lions a much-needed 28-26 second set victory.

Katie Slay gave credit to the home crowd for helping them even up the match at one set apiece.

“It fires us up, and it may have rattled the other team a little bit,” she said after the match.

After a pair of nail-biters to start out the night, the third set was an entirely different story. Trailing Nebraska 3-2 early on, Penn State went on a 13-4 run, including a string of six consecutive points behind the serve of Lacey Fuller, to take a 15-7 lead. Penn State would never look back as they went on to take the third set, 25-17.

With a two sets to one advantage and seemingly all of the momentum on their side, Penn State looked to be in control of the match, but Nebraska had other ideas. Already leading 6-1, the Cornhuskers recorded three straight blocks to jump out to a 9-1 advantage.

With a fifth and decisive set looking imminent, Penn State suddenly found an answer. However, it wasn’t one of the usual suspects---McClendon, Slay, Hancock, or Ariel Scott---that brought the Nittany Lions back. Russ Rose called upon Maddie Martin, a starter on last year’s squad who was displaced by freshman Megan Courtney this season, and she came through when her team needed it most.

Penn State answered Nebraska’s 9-1 opening run with an 8-0 outburst of their own, and in what seemed like an instant, the score was knotted at nine. Several points later, a Martin kill gave Penn State its first lead of the set, and a McClendon block would eventually widen the lead to 17-12 and cap off a remarkable 16-3 run.

Martin’s fifth kill of the set would make the score 24-21 and put Penn State just a point away from a huge win, but the Cornhuskers weren’t willing to quit yet. They saved three consecutive match points and evened up the score at 24, but a costly service error from senior Hannah Werth gave Penn State another opportunity to finish off the match.

Fittingly, it was Martin who took the volleyball, and she hit a deep serve that Nebraska decided to let go in hopes that it would sail out of bounds, only to watch it sneak inside the end line to close out the match, three sets to one, in favor of Penn State.

It was Penn State’s fourth straight win and Nebraska’s second consecutive defeat. Scott recorded a game-high 23 kills, and Hancock contributed 55 assists.

Martin, who had only seen action in 19 of Penn State’s 37 sets played this season, was happy that Rose gave her a chance in the fourth game.

“When I came into the first game, I didn’t do my job,” she said. "But I wanted to take advantage of the second opportunity.”

Rose was thrilled with the win, which improved his team’s record to 11-1 and dropped Nebraska to 8-2.

"I don't get too over-the-top with one victory," Rose said. "But Nebraska was ranked number one a week ago. This shows that we can play with one of the top teams in the country."

However, Rose knows that there is still plenty of work to do.

“It’s not my job to stand here and celebrate,” he added. “It’s an incredibly long Big Ten season.”

Penn State’s next match will be on Saturday night as they host Iowa, who is 8-5 on the year. The match will begin at 8 p.m. and can be heard on ComRadio.

Bradford Conners is a sophomore majoring in Broadcast Journalism. To contact him, email btc5082@psu.edu.