No. 2 Women’s Volleyball Downs Minnesota in Straights Sets
The No. 2 ranked women’s volleyball improved its winning streak to 15 matches last night when it defeated No. 11 Minnesota in straight sets.
Micha Hancock helped the Nittany Lions with 41 assists, four kills, four blocks and four digs. She also recorded one ace, bringing her career total to 235, which tied her for the Penn State career record.
In the first set the Lions were tied 4-4 but broke open the set with a 5-0 run. Minnesota fought back and was one away from tying the Lions at 14-13 when Slay and Courtney had consecutive kills to give the Lions a 16-14 lead. It was a battle for the rest of the match with the Lions only leading by one point until Scott and Slay had back to back kills to make it set point at 24-20. McClendon secured the set with an ace.
Penn State came out fired up in the second set, opening it up with a 7-2 lead. The Gophers tried to stop the momentum with a kill but the Nittany Lions answered with a 6-2 run to go ahead by eight points. Penn State continued to overpower the Gophers and at one point lead by nine, 19-10. The Gophers were unsuccessful in stopping the Nittany Lions and Courtney had the kill that put the set away at 25-17.
The third set was a battle on both sides and at one time it looked like neither team could hold onto a lead. The Lions started the set trailing by one 8-7, but a 4-0 run by Hancock put the Lions ahead by three 11-8. Minnesota responded with a 5-1 run to take the lead 13-12 but kills from Scott and McClendon put the Lions back on top 14-13. The Gophers again rallied and were leading by two 16-14, forcing the Lions to call a timeout.
Penn State came out of the timeout and battled for a 17-17 tie before Grant helped to open it up with two kills, and the Lions went on a 3-0 run to take the lead 20-17. Penn State stopped the Gophers rally with two blocks at the net and with two kills from Scott the Nittany Lions won the set 25-23.
This was Penn State’s 19th sweep of the season. The team is back in action at home against Northwestern on Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m.
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