PSU vs Wisconsin - Nov 24 (Saturday) - 8:00 PM

Date:  Nov 24 (Saturday)

Time:  8:00 PM

Preview:

No. 7 Penn State Hosts B1G Battles with No. 3 Minnesota, No. 8 Wisconsin
Penn State wraps up the 2018 regular season with two AVCA Top-10 showdowns

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 7 Penn State women's volleyball team closes out the 2018 regular season with two AVCA Top-10 teams coming into Rec Hall as No. 3 Minnesota comes in on Friday night at 8 p.m., and No. 8 Wisconsin swings by on Saturday evening for another 8 p.m. match. Both matches will be aired on the Big Ten Network with Mike Monaco and Audrey Flaugh on the call.

SERIES HISTORY
vs. Wisconsin (20-6, 13-5)
Penn State has a 48-8 all-time record over Wisconsin, with the Badgers last win coming in 2016 in Madison. Penn State holds a 25-1 record against the Badgers in Rec Hall, with that loss coming in 2002.

Last Ten Results – Wisconsin
11/04/12 25-20, 25-15, 25-22 W H
10/12/13 25-22, 25-17, 25-21 W H
11/15/13 25-23, 27-25, 25-16 W A
12/21/13 25-19, 26-24, 20-25, 25-23 W N
09/24/14 25-17, 25-21, 25-22 W A
12/13/14 22-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-19 W N
09/23/15 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 W H
10/28/16 16-25, 18-25, 25-18, 21-25 L A
10/25/17 25-19, 25-22, 23-25, 25-16 W H
11/24/17 18-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-20 W A

TEAM DEFENSE
Penn State leads the Big Ten in blocks per set at 2.89, which is good for fifth in the nation. The Nittany Lions are also killing the floor defense game as well. Penn State is currently averaging 14.93 digs per set, which if the season ended today, would crush the 25-point rally scoring era record of 14.72 which was set in 2010. If Penn State can get to 15.00 or above, it would be the first time since 2005 (15.82) that the Nittany Lions have averaged 15.00 or more per set. As a whole, Penn State's defense is holding opponents to just .159 hitting, good for second in the Big Ten.

DIGGIN' MACHINE
Kendall White, entering Friday night, has played in 97-straight matches as Penn State's libero since stepping foot on campus in August 2016. She has scooped up 450 digs so far in 2018, putting her at 1,412 for her career. She is the first to surpass 1,250 since Dom Gonzalez in 2011-14. Against Nebraska (11/2), White become just the third Nittany Lion to reach 1,300 during the junior season, joining Kim Kumfer and Kaleena Walters, and just the first during the 25-point rally scoring era. In surpassing 1,400 digs, White is just the second to do so in the third year of play, joining Walters, who finished her junior season with 1,413 digs. White is just two digs shy of having the highest total through three seasons.

White also has recorded two 30-plus dig matches this season (31 vs. Nebraska, 11/2, and 32 vs. Illinois, 11/10) becoming the first Penn State history have multiple 30-plus dig matches in a season, and her three total 30-plus matches (32 vs. Nebraska, 11/4/16; plus two above) are the most by any individual in Penn State history. No other player has more than one in a career. Her two 32-dig matches stand in second place in the 25-point rally scoring era for Penn State, and her 31-dig match is good for third by itself.

Penn State Career Top-10 Digs
1. 1,957 Kaleena Walters, 2002-05
2. 1,685 Kim Kumfer, 1989-92
3. 1,522 Noelle Zientara, 1987-90
4. 1,474 Dominique Gonzalez, 2011-14
5. 1,412 Kendall White, 2016-Pres.
6. 1,313 Ellen Hensler, 1983-86
7. 1,306 Roberta Holehouse, 2005-08
8. 1,278 Salima Davidson, 1991-94
9. 1,265 Michelle Jaworski, 1987-90
10. 1,245 Alyssa D'Errico, 2007-10
11. 1,207 Sam Tortorello, 2002-05

All-Time 30-plus digs list
44 – Kaleena Walter, vs. Minnesota (10/2/04)
40 – Noelle Zientara, vs. N.C. State (10/15/88)
35 – Alyssa D'Errico, at Minnesota (11/27/10)
32 – Kendall White, at Illinois (11/10/18)
32 – Kendall White, at Nebraska (11/4/16)
31 – Kendall White, at Nebraska (11/2/18)
30 – Salima Davidson, vs. Nebraska (11/4/93)