Match Preview – PSU vs. Ohio State — A Tale of Three Teams (Penn State, Penn State, and Ohio State)

We’re Back — Are the Nittany Lions?

We’ve been tied up for a few days, but we’re back. Here’s our match preview:

The Match: Penn State (15-4; 5-3 Big Ten) vs. Ohio State (16-5, 4-4 Big Ten)

Where and When: Columbus, OH, 7:00 p.m. E.T.

Media Coverage: Big Ten Network live (Randy Rhinehart – play-by-play; Audrey Flaugh – color commentary).

Match Snapshot:

Penn State

We’re back, but the question for the Penn State Women’s Volleyball players is, are they back? Or, more accurately, perhaps, which team will show up tonight against Ohio State?

Will it be the team that defeated now-#1 Florida, 3-1, on Florida’s home court back in September? Or will it be the team that sleepwalked through Saturday night’s match against Iowa, playing just well enough to defeat an overmatched (physically) but more than willing (mentally) opponent?

We aren’t saying the Penn State players aren’t trying. There is no question in our mind that the players want to win, and that they work hard to accomplish that goal. But wanting to win and translating that into action on the court are two different things. For the most part, Penn State has played well at home — last Friday’s match against Minnesota being a case in point.

But the fact is, this year’s Penn State team hasn’t done very well on the road, for whatever reason. It’s a young team — six freshman (Deja McClendon, Ariel Scott, Katie Slay, Maddie Martin, Mikinzie Moydell, and Ali Longo) and a sophomore (Kristin Carpenter) saw action over the weekend. And, as we’ve pointed out throughout the season, the Nittany Lions are missing generational players like Megan Hodge and Alisha Glass, and a fiery competitor in Darcy Dorton.

But every team in the Big Ten faces challenges of one sort or another. Just look at Illinois, which has an entire hospital wing filled with injured players. Last time we checked, Illinois was perched at the top of the Big Ten standings (tied with Michigan), with a two game lead over Penn State.

So the explanations are all fine, and they’re all valid. But the question remains: does this year’s Penn State team know how to face adversity, to master the challenges, and win. Which Penn State team will show up tonight?

From a statistical perspective, Penn State has been led offensively by 6-5 Sr. Opp. Blair Brown (3.69 kills/set, .303 attack %), 6-1 Fr. OH Deja McClendon (3.52 kills/set, .331 attack %), and 6-3 Sr. MH Arielle Wilson (2.75 kills/set, .425 attack %). 5-6 So. S Kristin Carpenter has averaged 10.50 assists/set, leading the Nittany Lions to a .303 attack %. The Nittany Lions have held opponents to a .113 attack %. Arielle Wilson leads the team with1.30 blocks/set, followed by 6-3 Sr. MH Fatima Balza (1.24 bps) and 6-6 Fr. MH Katie Slay (1.39 bps). 5-9 Sr. L Alyssa D’Errico is first on the team with 3.91 digs/set.

Here’s the Penn State Roster:

Updated as of 8-24-2010

Number	Name	Position	Year/ Class	Height	HS (Club)	State/ Nation
1	Scott, Ariel	Opp/OH	1/Fr.	6-4	Immaculate Heart Academy (Team Complete Athlete)	NJ
2	Kabbes, Katie	OH	3/Jr.	6-5	Cardinal Gibbons (Triangle Volleyball)	NC
3	Balza, Fatima	MH	4/Sr.	6-3	Liceo Caracas	VE
4	Ullrich, Jessica	DS	4/Sr.	5-8	Wheaton North (1st Alliance)	IL
5	Carpenter, Kristin	S/DS	2/So.	5-6	Hanover (Richmond Volleyball Club)	VA
6	Martin, Maddie	OH	1/Fr.	6-2	H.B. Plant (Tampa Bay Juniors)	FL
7	Wilson, Arielle	MH	4/Sr.	6-3	Proviso East (1st Alliance)	IL
8	Denney, Erica	MH	1/Fr.	6-5	Grandview (Front Range Volleyball Club)	CO
9	Brown, Blair	Opp	4/Sr. (RS)	6-5	Loudoun Valley (Renaissance)	VA
10	Racibarskas, Marika	S	2/So.	6-0	Chatham (Team Complete Athlete)	NJ
11	Dorton, Darcy	OH	2/So.	6-2	Delta (Munciana)	IN
12	D’Errico, Alyssa	L/DS	4/Sr.	5-9	Byron-Bergen (VolleyFx Magic)	NY
13	Shifflett , Megan	DS/S	3/Jr.	5-6	Langley VA Elite	VA
14	Quilico, Cathy	L/DS	4/Sr.	5-1	Westlake (Gene's Team)	CA
15	Harding, Maggie	DS	1/Fr.	5-6	State College Area	PA
16	Slay, Katie	MH	1/Fr.	6-6	Raleigh (Triangle Volleyball Club)	NC
18	McClendon, Deja	OH	1/Fr.	6-1	Dupont Manual Magnet (KIVA)	KY
19	Pabst, Krosby	DS	1/Fr.	5-7	Woodrow Wilson (Mizuno Long Beach)	CA
22	Moydell, Mikinzie	S	1/Fr.	6-0	Chaparral (Front Range Volleyball Club)	CO
23	Longo, Ali	DS	1/Fr.	5-6	Chatfield (Juggernaut Volleyball)	CO

Ohio State

The Buckeyes met their challenges last weekend in impressive style, sweeping both Iowa (25-10, 25-16, 25-17) and 19th-ranked Minnesota (25-23, 25-20, 25-17). Penn State beat those two teams as well, but dropped a set to the Golden Gophers and didn’t particularly shine against the Hawkeyes. It looks like Ohio State Head Coach Geoff Carlston has the Buckeyes hitting their stride at just the right time. With the match in Columbus, this will be a very, very tough one for Penn State.

On offense, the Buckeyes are led by 5-10 Sr. OH Katie Dull, who averages 4.04 points/set and 3.39 kills/set. 6-2 Sr. MB Kelli Barhorst (who was named Big Ten Player of the Week for her play against Iowa and Minnesota) leads the team with a .420 attack % and is second on the team with 3.35 points/set. 6-1 So. OH Emily Danks is third on the team with 3.13 points/set, and 5-10 Sr. MB Allie Schwarzwalder’s .317 attack percentage is second on the team. 5-10 Sr. S Betsy Hone is averaging 9.91 assists/set and leads the Buckeyes wth 3.18 digs/set, followed by Dull (1.92 digs/set) and Hone (1.54 digs/set). Allie Schwarzwalde’s 1.32 blocks/set is first on the Buckeyes, followed by 6-3 So. MB Mariah Booth’s 1.15 blocks/set.