No. 14 Penn State women’s volleyball lost to Michigan State 3-1 Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Penn State (9-3, 1-1 Big Ten) only hit .158 and only managed two service aces in its first conference loss of the season.
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Total
Penn St.
19
21
25
19
1
Michigan St.
25
25
22
25
3
Match Recap
Kennedy Martin led all players with 19 kills (.200) and added eight digs and six blocks against the Spartans (11-1, 1-1 Big Ten).
Junior middle blocker Ryla Jones left the match with an injury in the third set and did not return. Jones had five blocks and one kill before exiting the match. Freshman Kendall Northern, who would join the starting lineup if Jones is out, had two kills and a block, but was held to a -.143 hitting percentage.
Freshman setter Danielle Whitmire played a majority of the match after coming in for redshirt senior Alexis Stucky, who had 10 assists versus the Spartans. Whitmire had a career-high 24 assists, four digs, four blocks, and a kill in the loss. She previously had 21 assists in extended action in a sweep of Ohio on Sept. 12 at Rec Hall.
Emmi Sellman and Whitney Lauenstein, the latter of whom returned to the starting lineup versus the Spartans after Alexis Ewing started Friday against Michigan, both finished with nine kills. Madi Andrews and Hayley Ogden paced Michigan State’s offense with 13 kills apiece, but Ogden (.400) and middle blocker Zora Hardison (10 kills, .562) had more efficient outings than Andrews (.114).
Passing struggles have consistently cropped up for the Nittany Lions this season and will certainly continue to be a focus for the team in practice. Penn State has a quick turnaround before hosting No. 1 Nebraska (13-0, 2-0 Big Ten) Thursday at 7 p.m. at Rec Hall in a televised match on Big Ten Network. The Huskers swept former Penn State outside hitter Karis Willow and Rutgers, as well as Ohio State, on opening weekend of the conference season in Lincoln.
Match Details
Penn St.
Michigan St.
Set
K
E
TA
%
K
E
TA
%
1
8
4
26
0.154
17
5
35
0.343
2
12
6
32
0.188
13
6
35
0.200
3
14
6
44
0.182
12
10
44
0.045
4
13
8
44
0.114
13
5
38
0.211
Total
47
24
146
0.158
55
26
152
0.191
Penn St.
Michigan St.
Points
63
74
Kills
47
55
Aces
2
7
Blocks
14
12
Assists
42
51
Digs
53
63
Match Leaders
Penn St. – Leaders
Kills
Kennedy Martin (19), Emmi Sellman (9), Whitney Lauenstein (9)
Aces
Ava Jurevicius (1), Alexis Stucky (1)
Blocks
Gabrielle Nichols (7), Kennedy Martin (6), Ryla Jones (5)
Assists
Danielle Whitmire (24), Alexis Stucky (10), Ava Falduto (5)
Digs
Ava Falduto (18), Kennedy Martin (8), Whitney Lauenstein (7)
