Post by nyline on Aug 30, 2015 6:16:38 GMT -5
We've posted our writeup on the Penn State vs. Villanova Match, with quotes, stats, and psumaui's match video (thanks again to psumaui). Here's the link:
Lions Raise Banner, Down WildcatsAnd here's an excerpt:
A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but it may not tell the whole story. The photo above (courtesy of GoPSUsports.com) certainly says it all about the ceremony rasing the 2014 NCAA Championship banner prior to last night’s match between a young, talented Penn State team and an experienced, determined Villanova squad. But it doesn’t say much about Penn State’s sweep of the Villanova Wildcats (25-20, 25-23, 25-21) in the hard fought match that followed.
Penn State Head Coach Russ Rose summed the match up like this:
I thought it was a really tough, competitive match against a very good team. I think Villanova plays exceptionally hard, they stress you out because they go pin to pin, and it’s a veteran team. They have five players, plus the libero, back from last year, and they got a great transfer [6-3 So. OH Allie Loitz from Pepperdine]. That’s a very good team. I would expect them to have success in their conference, and I’m happy because [Villanova head coach Josh Steinbach] worked for a number of years in our program and has been doing a great job at Villanova.
Match Recap
Leading the offense (and walking off with the Penn State Classic Most Outstanding Player award) was 6-2 Sr. OH Megan Courtney (16 kills, a team-high 13 digs, and 4 blocks), followed by 6-3 RS Sr. RS Sr. Aiyana Whitney (14 kills, .429 attack %) and 6-2 So. Ali Frantti (9 kills, 12 digs).
After taking the first set 25-20, Penn State struggled to close out the second set, with a 7-4 run by Villanova tying the set at 23-all. Penn State then took the last two points (including an error by the Wildcats) to go into the locker room up 2 sets to none at the break.
In the third set, Villanova simply refused to break, battling to a 17-14 lead that caused Coach Rose to call a timeout. Three straight points by Penn State forced Villanova to call a timeout of its own, but Megan Courtney followed with an ace and Haleigh Washington came up with a kill put the Nittany Lions up by 19-17. Penn State took six of the next ten points to win the set 25-21.
Penn State Head Coach Russ Rose summed the match up like this:
I thought it was a really tough, competitive match against a very good team. I think Villanova plays exceptionally hard, they stress you out because they go pin to pin, and it’s a veteran team. They have five players, plus the libero, back from last year, and they got a great transfer [6-3 So. OH Allie Loitz from Pepperdine]. That’s a very good team. I would expect them to have success in their conference, and I’m happy because [Villanova head coach Josh Steinbach] worked for a number of years in our program and has been doing a great job at Villanova.
Match Recap
Leading the offense (and walking off with the Penn State Classic Most Outstanding Player award) was 6-2 Sr. OH Megan Courtney (16 kills, a team-high 13 digs, and 4 blocks), followed by 6-3 RS Sr. RS Sr. Aiyana Whitney (14 kills, .429 attack %) and 6-2 So. Ali Frantti (9 kills, 12 digs).
After taking the first set 25-20, Penn State struggled to close out the second set, with a 7-4 run by Villanova tying the set at 23-all. Penn State then took the last two points (including an error by the Wildcats) to go into the locker room up 2 sets to none at the break.
In the third set, Villanova simply refused to break, battling to a 17-14 lead that caused Coach Rose to call a timeout. Three straight points by Penn State forced Villanova to call a timeout of its own, but Megan Courtney followed with an ace and Haleigh Washington came up with a kill put the Nittany Lions up by 19-17. Penn State took six of the next ten points to win the set 25-21.
