No. 3 PSU Women's Volleyball Sweeps Wisconsin
By: Bob Patterson
Updated: November 5, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The third-ranked Penn State women's volleyball team (23-2, 13-1 Big Ten) earned a 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-22) win against Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon. Penn State is back in action on Thursday, Nov. 8 against Illinois at 8 p.m. The match, being played at Rec Hall, will be aired live on the Big Ten Network.
Junior Ariel Scott (Ridgewood, N.J.) posted a match-high kills on .357 hitting. Freshman Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) and junior Deja McClendon (Louisville, Ky.) added nine kills apiece. Sophomore Micha Hancock (Edmond, Okla.) dished out 40 assists and had 11 digs. Sophomore Dominique Gonzalez (San Antonio, Texas) tied with Hancock with 11 digs and Courtney had a team-high four blocks.
Penn State recorded a .306 hitting percentage against Wisconsin (16-11, 4-10 Big Ten). The Nittany Lions had 47 kills, six aces, 48 digs and 6.5 team blocks. The Badgers hit .219 with 37 kills, two aces, 41 digs and 10.0 team blocks.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to a 6-1 lead forcing a Wisconsin timeout to start the match. The Badgers fought to within three, 10-7, but a 6-3 Penn State run had the Lions ahead by seven, 16-9. After a second Badger timeout, Penn State's lead grew to nine, 19-10, after two kills and a triple block by Courtney, Grant and Scott. Penn State's momentum slowed down a bit as the set began to wind down. Seven Wisconsin kills allowed the Badgers to move within four, 24-20. Penn State used a timeout and Scott pounded a kill to close out set one for PSU, 25-20.
Penn State trailed early in set two before an 8-2 run, sparked by a Scott kill, had the Lions taking a 10-7 lead. Kills by Hancock and McClendon and a Hancock ace had the Lions leading 13-9 and Wisconsin calling a timeout. Another McClendon kill and a second Hancock ace had Penn State's lead at seven, 16-9. Despite a 3-0 Badger run, an ace by senior Kristin Carpenter (Mechanicsville, Va.) kept Penn State comfortable ahead by six, 18-12. Wisconsin burned its second timeout, but it didn't faze the Lions. The Nittany Lions allowed Wisconsin to tally only three additional points for the remainder of the set. Two putdowns each from Scott and Courtney helped Penn State to a 25-15 set two victory.
Penn State went up 6-2 to star t the third and final set. The Nittany Lions increased the gap to five, 10-5, after an ace from sophomore Lacey Fuller (San Diego, Calif.), a kill from junior Maddie Martin (Tampa, Fla.) and a Wisconsin error. Following a Wisconsin timeout, the Badgers kept it close, coming within two, 12-10, before a 4-0 run by PSU had the Lions leading by six, 16-10. A second Wisconsin timeout allowed the Badgers to regroup. Wisconsin slowly worked its way to within two again at 21-19, which sent Penn State to the bench. Despite an error and a Wisconsin kill, back-to-back kills from McClendon had the Lions nearing a win, 23-21. Sophomore Nia Grant (Warren, Ohio) pounded a kill to make it set point, 24-21. Wisconsin put down one final kill before Scott pounded a kill for a 25-22 win.
Source: PSU Athletics
Junior Ariel Scott (Ridgewood, N.J.) posted a match-high kills on .357 hitting. Freshman Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) and junior Deja McClendon (Louisville, Ky.) added nine kills apiece. Sophomore Micha Hancock (Edmond, Okla.) dished out 40 assists and had 11 digs. Sophomore Dominique Gonzalez (San Antonio, Texas) tied with Hancock with 11 digs and Courtney had a team-high four blocks.
Penn State recorded a .306 hitting percentage against Wisconsin (16-11, 4-10 Big Ten). The Nittany Lions had 47 kills, six aces, 48 digs and 6.5 team blocks. The Badgers hit .219 with 37 kills, two aces, 41 digs and 10.0 team blocks.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to a 6-1 lead forcing a Wisconsin timeout to start the match. The Badgers fought to within three, 10-7, but a 6-3 Penn State run had the Lions ahead by seven, 16-9. After a second Badger timeout, Penn State's lead grew to nine, 19-10, after two kills and a triple block by Courtney, Grant and Scott. Penn State's momentum slowed down a bit as the set began to wind down. Seven Wisconsin kills allowed the Badgers to move within four, 24-20. Penn State used a timeout and Scott pounded a kill to close out set one for PSU, 25-20.
Penn State trailed early in set two before an 8-2 run, sparked by a Scott kill, had the Lions taking a 10-7 lead. Kills by Hancock and McClendon and a Hancock ace had the Lions leading 13-9 and Wisconsin calling a timeout. Another McClendon kill and a second Hancock ace had Penn State's lead at seven, 16-9. Despite a 3-0 Badger run, an ace by senior Kristin Carpenter (Mechanicsville, Va.) kept Penn State comfortable ahead by six, 18-12. Wisconsin burned its second timeout, but it didn't faze the Lions. The Nittany Lions allowed Wisconsin to tally only three additional points for the remainder of the set. Two putdowns each from Scott and Courtney helped Penn State to a 25-15 set two victory.
Penn State went up 6-2 to star t the third and final set. The Nittany Lions increased the gap to five, 10-5, after an ace from sophomore Lacey Fuller (San Diego, Calif.), a kill from junior Maddie Martin (Tampa, Fla.) and a Wisconsin error. Following a Wisconsin timeout, the Badgers kept it close, coming within two, 12-10, before a 4-0 run by PSU had the Lions leading by six, 16-10. A second Wisconsin timeout allowed the Badgers to regroup. Wisconsin slowly worked its way to within two again at 21-19, which sent Penn State to the bench. Despite an error and a Wisconsin kill, back-to-back kills from McClendon had the Lions nearing a win, 23-21. Sophomore Nia Grant (Warren, Ohio) pounded a kill to make it set point, 24-21. Wisconsin put down one final kill before Scott pounded a kill for a 25-22 win.
Source: PSU Athletics
