The Match: Northwestern (18-9, 8-8 Big Ten) vs. Penn State (24-4, 14-3 Big Ten)
When & Where: November 19, 2010, 7:00 p.m. ET.; Rec Hall
Media Coverage: GameTracker; Streaming Video: BigTenNetwork.com
Match Snapshot
Penn State takes on the 25th-ranked Northwestern Wildcats tonight, in the final regular season home match for the Nittany Lions. Northwestern is in 6th place in the Big Ten with an 8-8 record (18-9 overall). The Wildcats are 3-4 against nationally-ranked opponents this season, having notched victories over Tennessee, Minnesota, and, in a big boost to Penn State, Illinois. Here’s a video of Northwestern Head Coach Keylor Chan, talking about his team and its opponents this weekend:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=728fJ__Ah2U&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Once again, Penn State will be led by 6-5 Sr. Opp. Blair Brown, who leads the team with 4.02 kills per set (on .324 hitting), followed by 6-1 Fr. OH Deja McClendon (3.35 kps, .318 attack %) and 6-3 Sr. MH Arielle Wilson (2.70 kps, .425 attack %). Sophomore setter Kristin Carpenter is averaging 11.04 assists/set. On defense, 5-9 Sr. L Alyssa D’Errico leads the team with 3.89 digs/set, while Wilson is averaging 1.17 bps, 6-3 Sr. MH Fatima Balza averages 1.29 bps, and 6-6 Fr. MH Katie Slay is averaging 1.56 bps. We’ll be interested in seeing whether Katie Slay plays tonight, and whether 6-5 Fr. OH Ariel Scott continues to improve (whether coincidence or not, the Nittany Lions haven’t lost since she began playing on a regular basis).
For the season, Penn State is hitting .313 as a team, while holding their opponents to a .124 attack %.
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Here’s the Penn State roster:
| Number | Name | Position | Year/ Class | Height | HS (Club) | State/ Nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Scott, Ariel  | Opp/OH | 1/Fr. | 6-04 | Immaculate Heart Academy (Team Complete Athlete) | NJ |
| 02 | Kabbes, Katie  | OH | 3/Jr. | 6-05 | Cardinal Gibbons (Triangle Volleyball) | NC |
| 03 | Balza, Fatima  | MH | 4/Sr. | 6-03 | Liceo Caracas | VE |
| 04 | Ullrich, Jessica  | DS | 4/Sr. | 5-08 | Wheaton North (1st Alliance) | IL |
| 05 | Carpenter, Kristin  | S/DS | 2/So. | 5-06 | Hanover (Richmond Volleyball Club) | VA |
| 06 | Martin, Maddie  | OH | 1/Fr. | 6-02 | H.B. Plant (Tampa Bay Juniors) | FL |
| 07 | Wilson, Arielle  | MH | 4/Sr. | 6-03 | Proviso East (1st Alliance) | IL |
| 08 | Denney, Erica  | MH | 1/Fr. | 6-05 | Grandview (Front Range Volleyball Club) | CO |
| 09 | Brown, Blair  | Opp | 4/RS Sr. | 6-05 | Loudoun Valley (Renaissance) | VA |
| 10 | Racibarskas, Marika  | S | 2/So. | 6-00 | Chatham (Team Complete Athlete) | NJ |
| 11 | Dorton, Darcy  | OH | 2/So. | 6-02 | Delta (Munciana) | IN |
| 12 | D'Errico, Alyssa  | L | 4/Sr. | 5-09 | Byron-Bergen (VolleyFx Magic) | NY |
| 13 | Shifflett, Megan  | DS/S | 3/Jr. | 5-06 | Langley VA Elite | VA |
| 14 | Quilico, Cathy  | DS | 4/Sr. | 5-01 | Westlake (Gene's Team) | CA |
| 15 | Harding, Maggie  | DS | 1/Fr. | 5-06 | State College Area | PA |
| 16 | Slay, Katie  | MH | 1/Fr. | 6-06 | Raleigh (Triangle Volleyball Club) | NC |
| 18 | McClendon, Deja  | OH | 1/Fr. | 6-01 | Dupont Manual Magnet (KIVA) | KY |
| 19 | Pabst, Krosby  | DS | 1/Fr. | 5-07 | Woodrow Wilson (Mizuno Long Beach) | CA |
| 22 | Moydell, Mikinzie  | S | 1/Fr. | 6-00 | Chaparral (Front Range Volleyball Club) | CO |
| 23 | Longo, Ali  | DS | 1/Fr. | 5-06 | Chatfield (Juggernaut Volleyball) | CO |