No. 8 Penn State women’s volleyball (0-1) opened up its season with a 3-1 loss against No. 11 Florida (1-0) in the Road 2 Tampa Bay Invitational in Tampa, Florida.

After taking the first set, the Nittany Lions dropped the next three sets in order. Penn State’s arms were hot, as Jess Mruzik led with 15 kills, but it was not enough to pull through a win as the Nittany Lions dropped into the loss column.

How It Happened

The game opened with a back-and-forth battle, staying tied through four until a kill from Taylor Trammel and an ace from Mruzik made the score 6-4. Mruzik continued with a second ace, sending Penn State on a 4-0 run. Mruzik then earned two more aces before the run was ended by Florida.

Back-to-back blocks from Allie Holland and Zoe Weatherington rained down, and Penn State extended its lead 16-7. Penn State continued to lead 20-13, with eight kills coming from across the court.

Heading into the final few points, Weatherington pounded down two kills and the final point came from a Florida touch on Weatherington to end it 25-18.

1-0#WeAre
pic.twitter.com/4dBZUf7FmS

— Penn State Women’s Volleyball (@PennStateVBALL) August 26, 2023

The second set brought a lead for Florida, going up 5-2. Penn State continually kept the score close, but Florida’s Kennedy Martin went on a streak to keep the Gators in front. Florida extended its lead 14-9 before Penn State called its first timeout.

The Nittany Lions then hit a 3-0 scoring run after two kills from Anjelina Starck and another kill from Allie Holland, and Florida took its turn for a timeout. Out of the break, Penn State once again had a 3-0 scoring run, making it within one, 17-16.

The energy exploded for the Nittany Lions, and Allie Holland served an ace to tie it up 20-20. Florida bounced back scoring two, but Penn State roared back again tying it up 22-22.

Penn State stayed in it until the end, but Florida ultimately came away with set two 25-23.

The third set started off strong again for the Gators, who went on a quick 5-0 run. Penn State inched back while scoring three points, but the third point was challenged by Florida after an out ball. The call stood in Penn State’s favor, making the score 6-3.

The gap remained the same and the score moved to 13-8 for Florida. Flordia’s Martin continued to dominate at the net, counting 12 kills by the third set. Florida was the first to 20, but Penn State hit a 3-0 scoring run once again to bring it within five, 22-17. But, Florida quickly finished up set three with a kill and a block from freshman outside hitter Martin.

Set four saw a Penn State lead for the first time in two sets starting off 3-1. Sophomore Alexa Markley added a needed spark to the offense as Penn State took a four-point lead of 9-5 and Florida called a timeout. Penn State remained up following the timeout, and Mruzik registered her 14th kill, bringing the score to 11-9.

Penn State continued to lead, going up 20-16. However, Florida went on a 3-0 run forcing a Penn State timeout. The Nittany Lions were able to pull through and keep running up the score, 23-21. Holland put up a massive block to bring Penn State to set point, but Florida scored three to tie it up 24-24.

Florida rallied to get its first lead of the set 25-24 after a tip from Sofia Victoria. The final point of the match came after an attack error from Mruzik, solidifying the set four win for the Gators.

Florida then took the match 3-1.

Takeaways

• Despite the loss, the offensive power from both returning and transfer players is dominant. Mruzik registered 15 kills alongside Weatherington’s eight, proving that the power from the front line is there.
• The energy of the first set was unmatched for the Nittany Lions, so if they want to secure wins against the Top 25 teams, the spirit needs to stay alive.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will continue their run in the Road 2 Tampa tournament at 6 p.m. Saturday, August 26 against No. 20 Georgia Tech. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.