Penn State wins 3-2 over Creighton, echoing 2024 NCAA Regional Finals.
Among the main storylines for the Creighton-Penn State match were 1) Creighton getting a second chance at “Defending National Champion (but #2-ranked)” Penn State, and 2) that Penn State was the “Defending National Champion (but #2-ranked.” No matter that both teams were significantly different than the teams that played in the 2024 Regional Finals in University Park. Forget about that “You can’t cross the same river twice” nonsense.
The match did echo that 2024 match in the sense that both were “close” — the 2024 match went to five sets, and after Set 1, which Penn State won handily, 25-18 (outhitting the Bluejays .382 to .154), this match was close, notwithstanding that it was a sweep. Set 2 looked like it would be more of the same, as built up a big 20-12 lead following a kill by Maggie Mendelson, but Creighton went on an 8-0 run to knot the score at 20. Martin put a stop to that with a kill, and followed up with an ace, putting Penn State up by two. The Nittany Lions won 3 of the next 4 points, to take the set 25-22.
In Set 3, it was Penn State Penn who had to put on a late rally, as the Nittany Lions trailed late in the Set by 22-18. After a 4-0 Penn State run tied the score, Creighton scored two straight points to go up 24-22, but Penn State responded by winning the next two points. Creighton went up again, 25-24, but a block by Mendelson and Martin tied the score at 25-25. Another block by Mendelson (this time with Jurevicius) and a kill by Jurevicius closed out the match.
The more compelling storyline may have been the “Martin (Kennedy) vs. Martin (Ava)” battle. It allowed the broadcast team to say things like “Martin with the attack, Martin gets the dig, and Martin with the backrow attack,” which was fun. And both players excelled, with Ava Martin totaling 19 kills ( .357 hitting), 9 digs, and an ace, and Kennedy Martin pounding 14 kills (.344 hitting), with 9 digs, 2 blocks, and an ace (and continued her streak (now at 54 matches) of never having fewer than 10 kills in a collegiate match.) Kennedy walked away with the MVP trophy for the event, and Penn State walked away with a 3-0 win (25-18, 25-22, 27-25).
Kennedy Martin was the MVP, but she had plenty of help. Jordan Hopp had an outstanding match (could it have had anything to do with the fact she was playing in her home state?), posting 10 kills (.562 hitting), 3 blocks and one ace. Sophomore setter Izzy Starck guided the Nittany Lions to .294 hitting for the match, with 5 players having at least 6 kills, including outside hitters Caroline Jurevicius (8 kills), and Emmi Sellman (7 kills, 7 digs, and 2 aces), and middle blocker Maggie Mendelson (6 kills and 5 blocks).
Senior DS Gillian Grimes tied with Creigton’s Saige Damrow with a match-high 15 digs, with Sophomore Ava Falduto scooping up 10.