No. 3 Penn State women’s volleyball (9-1) swept James Madison (5-4) in the first game of the Penn State Classic on Friday night at Rec Hall.

In the 42nd edition of the event, the Nittany Lions made up for their miscues, dominating the Dukes on all fronts. After being swept by Pitt in the Nittany Lions’ previous match, they flipped the script and claimed victory in straight sets.

How It Happened

The first set began with a point for James Madison, followed by a kill from Penn State’s Taylor Trammell. The Nittany Lions fell into a small hole early, as the Dukes jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead. The deficit was quickly erased courtesy of a few mishits from the purple and gold. James Madison and Penn State then exchanged service errors with the score knotted at five. 

Shortly after, a brilliant save at the back line from Anjelina Starck kept a point alive, eventually resulting in a kill for Penn State and some momentum. The Nittany Lions ranked up points, earning an 11-7 lead before the Dukes called a timeout.

Penn State won the first two points out of the timeout, which included a point thanks to James Madison being out of rotation. Both teams continued to battle and exchanged points. A hit from Jess Mruzik that seemingly went untouched out of bounds was challenged by Penn State. The officials determined that the ball was tipped and Penn State earned its 17th point of the set.

A kill by Caroline Jurevicius extended the Penn State lead. James Madison won the next three points of the set, which featured a service ace from Annie Smith. The Nittany Lions quickly snatched momentum back with a block at the net, prompting the Dukes to call their second timeout shortly thereafter. 

James Madison won the first three points after the brief pause, as the Nittany Lions began to look sloppy. Two errors from the blue and white allowed James Madison to pull within one, the score 20-19. Penn State got its act together, winning five out of the next six points, including two kills from Camryn Hannah. A block by Izzy Starck gave the Nittany Lions their 25th point, surviving a first-set scare and winning it 25-20.

Penn State started off the second set strong, with kills from Hannah and Mruzik. A service error from Maggie Mendelson was the catalyst that James Madison needed to go on a run of its own, winning five out of the next six points and taking a 5-3 lead. The Nittany Lions climbed their way back, with a strong kill from Mruzik that put the Nittany Lions up 6-5. A few points later, a rally that featured three blocks from Penn State ended in a Mruzik block that found the floor. The Nittany Lions were up 10-7 before James Madison called its first timeout of the set.

Both sides played fairly evenly following the timeout. A service error on James Madison was followed by a block by the Dukes, and Penn State recorded a kill and a service error. The Nittany Lions led 15-13 after officials again reversed a coach’s challenge for a tipped ball in Penn State’s favor.

The next five points featured three service errors, two for James Madison and one for Penn State. After a kill from Izzy Starck, the teams exchanged two more service errors. Penn State held a 22-17 when another James Madison service error gave the Nittany Lions a point. A kill by Smith brought the Dukes within three but kills by Mruzik and Izzy Starck closed out the set 25-20.

Looking for the sweep, Penn State dropped the first point of the set thanks to a block by James Madison’s Ayen Nhial. The Nittany Lions got back on track quickly, with kills from Trammell, Mruzik, and Mendelson, an ace from Gillian Grimes, and a block from Mruzik that forced James Madison to call a timeout down 5-1.

An ace by Grimes came immediately after the timeout as Penn State continued to pile on. James Madison slowly crept its way back into the set, winning four of five points, including an ace from Smith. A Duke service error and a Nittany Lion attack error brought the score to 10-7. 

With the margin still at three, a long rally, including a shot that almost hit the rafters of Rec Hall, ended in a point for Penn State. It looked promising for Penn State until a 4-0 run by James Madison knotted the score at 14. With both teams battling in a tight third set, a service error by Mruzik cost the Nittany Lions a point. The teams exchanged two more service errors, with Penn State holding an 18-17 lead.

The Nittany Lions, with their eyes on the victory, finished the set strong. A kill by Hannah and an attack error by Mittie Veldman of the Dukes led to a James Madison timeout. Penn State took the first point out of the break. The following rally was perhaps the longest of the game, featuring multiple saves from Penn State. However, the Dukes won the point, making the score 22-19.

From there, Penn State never looked back. It won the final three points of the set and secured the sweep of James Madison. The set ended on a Mendleson kill, securing the 25-19 win.

Takeaways

• It was a sloppy game for both teams, with 18 total service errors. Penn State and James Madison each had nine.
• Jess Mruzik and Camryn Hannah continue to do what they do best. The duo led the team with 13 kills a piece, providing both points and momentum for the Nittany Lion squad. 
• After a difficult loss, the Nittany Lions bounced back with a sweep over James Madison. While the Dukes aren’t nearly the same level of opponent as Pitt, this was a get-right game for Penn State.

What’s Next?

Penn State is back in action on Saturday, September 21, as it takes on Yale in the second game of the Penn State Classic. The game will take place at 2 p.m. in Rec Hall.