No. 21 Penn State women’s volleyball (4-0) defeated Iowa State in four sets Friday afternoon, winning its fourth consecutive match to remain undefeated during the 2022 season.

Penn State senior Zoe Weatherington led all players in kills, totaling 15 in the match, while Taylor Trammell paced the Nittany Lions with five blocks.

How It Happened

Iowa State got off to a hot start and maintained a lead by a few points for most of the first set. However, Penn State came back to claim a 20-19 lead after trailing by five points. Penn State kept its foot on the gas pedal and won the first set 25-22.

The second started off similarly to the first. The Cyclones took a big jump and maintained a sizable lead, though, Penn State came back to cut the deficit to 23-22. However, it was too little too late, as the Cyclones barely held on and won the second set 25-22, with Mariah Mitchell, Jaden Newsome, and Eleanor Holthaus serving as the catalysts and leading the way for Iowa State.

The match reached a pivotal point with both teams splitting the first two sets. There was plenty of back-and-forth action between the Nittany Lions and the Cyclones, and neither team had firm control at this point.

Penn State took advantage of multiple Cyclone errors, with Weatherington, in particular, impressing in the third set with four kills. Penn State won the third set 25-22 to put itself in the driver’s seat for a match-clinching set up next.

Iowa State failed to regain any momentum in the fourth set, consistently trailing the Nittany Lions in the ordeal. The Nittany Lions dominated the Cyclones, with the likes of Anjelina Starck, Taylor Trammell, and Kashauna Williams stepping up to put away the Cyclones. Penn State won the fourth set 25-15, therefore winning the match three sets to one.

Takeaways

• Zoe Weatherington was fantastic for the Nittany Lions Friday afternoon. She had 15 kills, which was the most of any player in the match on both sides. Additionally, Weatherington added two blocks and a dig.
• The Nittany Lions have yet to falter in their new era. After taking over for legendary coach Russ Rose, Katie Schumacher-Cawley has yet to lose a game as Penn State’s head coach, as she boasts an impressive 4-0 early season record.
• One of the reasons for the Nittany Lions’ victory falls under efficiency. Penn State had 18 errors, compared to the 22 from Iowa State. Additionally, the Nittany Lions edged the Cyclones out in hit percentage with 31%, as opposed to just 23% from Iowa State.

What’s Next

Penn State will face Troy later this evening at 6 p.m. in its second game of the Tiger Challenge.