No. 11 Penn State women’s volleyball (10-0) defeated Albany (3-9) in straight sets (25-12, 25-16, 25-10) on Saturday afternoon from Rec Hall.

Penn State continues its unbeaten streak as it tries to climb up the NCAA rankings before entering Big Ten conference play at the end of the week.

How It Happened

Despite some early struggles, the Nittany Lions soon found themselves in control of the match in the first set. While more challenging shots often flew out of bounds, a series of floaters proved advantageous for Penn State, as the team went from down 5-4 to a quick 11-5 lead.

After Albany called a timeout, the Great Danes briefly matched Penn State through a few back-and-forth points. It still wasn’t enough, and the Nittany Lions ran away with the first frame 25-12 when senior transfer Zoe Weatherington finished off the visitors with three straight kills.

Penn State dominated the second set, scoring seven points before the Great Danes could respond. Albany managed to work itself back into the match, bringing the score back to 15-7.

Throughout the remainder of the set, Albany couldn’t make up the deficit, and Penn State took the second frame 25-16.

Albany was able to meet Penn State point-for-point at the beginning of the third set, tying the game 4-4 early on. However, as with the first two sets, the Nittany Lions ran away in the final period and took the next six points.

After Albany took charge to run up the score 10-5 in its favor, Penn State made a seven-point run for a 17-5 lead. The Great Danes weren’t able to make a larger dent, and Penn State took the final set 25-10.

Takeaways:

• Good teams win, great teams cover. Albany isn’t the shining light of NCAA volleyball, but the Nittany Lions took the match as an opportunity to play their best.
• Sometimes, you just need to keep it simple. Early in the first set, Penn State wanted to be aggressive but gave up points from offensive errors. When they settled down and took easier shots, the Nittany Lions earned their first lead. Even against easy opponents, it’s usually best to make the simpler play.

What’s Next?

Penn State will play its final game of the Penn State Classic at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 17, against Coastal Carolina from Rec Hall.