No. 4 Penn State women’s volleyball swept Indiana 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-18) Friday night at Rec Hall.

Jonni Parker led the team with 16 kills in the program’s annual Dig Pink match, which saw the Nittany Lions wear pink jerseys for the first time.

How It Happened

Freshman Gabby Blossom made the first start of her Penn State career in place of redshirt senior setter Bryanna Weiskircher, who was in uniform but didn’t play against the Hoosiers. Blossom finished with the match’s lone double-double.

Parker and outside hitter Nia Reed paced Penn State’s offense, with Reed tallying 12 kills in the victory. Junior libero Kendall White turned in another strong outing with a match-high 19 digs.

Kaitlyn Hord, Tori Gorrell, and Taylor Leath combined for 18 kills versus head coach Steve Aird’s Hoosiers. After graduating from Penn State in 2001, Aird was part of Russ Rose’s staff from 2007-14. The Nittany Lions hit .486 in the third set on the way to their ninth straight win. 

“I think she connects well with the hitters,” Rose said of Blossom. “I recruited her to play. I didn’t say she was going to come in and play immediately. I don’t tell anybody they’re going to play immediately. I tell people that they have to work hard and the goal of the program is to compete at a high level.”

Player of the Match

Gabby Blossom | Setter

The St. Louis native registered career highs across the board with 41 assists, 12 digs, two blocks, and two kills. The 2018 Andi Collins Award winner also had a service ace.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions (18-3) welcome No. 17 Purdue to Rec Hall Saturday at 8 p.m. Penn State beat the Boilermakers 3-1 on October 10 in West Lafayette.