No. 1 Nebraska avenge No. 16 Penn State in 3-0 sweep in Happy Valley

Nebraska swept Penn State in under 90 minutes Friday night in Rec Hall.

If “all the world’s a stage,” the undefeated, No. 1 ranked, Nebraska women’s volleyball squad deserve an Emmy.

After last season’s two-match loss, one in Happy Valley losing 1-3, and then again during the NCAA Division I semifinals, when Penn State won in a reverse sweep, Nebraska traveled to Penn State Friday wanting vengeance. The Cornhuskers won their 13th match this season in under 90 minutes.

The 3-0 sweep was so swift that Penn State couldn’t unpack its aggressive front or back lines.

“[Nebraska] were able to do whatever they wanted,” Penn State head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawly said. “It was a challenge to side out. It was a challenge to be aggressive on defense. I think we need to be better on our side. But that's a really good team that's going to do some good things in conference.”

Indiana, Nebraska, and Wisconsin are 3-0 in Big Ten Conference play. Penn State are 1-2.

The last time Penn State was unable to break a score of double digits was in 2022 against Nebraska and Wisconsin. In the last set of the 2022 match, Penn State only scored nine points, leading Nebraska to win the match.

Then, later that season, Penn State only scored eight points in the fifth and final set against Wisconsin, causing them to lose that match. 

However, Friday night, in Happy Valley, lines wrapped around Rec Hall, speckled with red and blue, old and young, waiting to enter the arena for the long-awaited matchup. 

The red shirts of the Nebraska fans contrasted with the dark blue stands of the Nittany Lions’ home, showing that not only the athletes but the fans, as well, came to leave their mark. 

Nebraska fans held signs that read, “block party.”

Former University of Louisville Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly was recently promoted to Nebraska head coach to take over for her former mentor John Cook. He was Busboom Kelly’s coach when she played volleyball for the Cornhuskers.  

Game highlights

Penn State’s Kennedy Martin and Jordan Hopp both scored points in the beginning, riling the crowd up with hope. That feeling faded fast.

Freshman opposite hitter Virginia Adriano made the court hers as she scored consecutive kills having a two-point run at the beginning of the first set.

Adriano had her eye on the prize every, and with the help of her teammates Harper Murray, Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick, the team was able to end the first set in less than 30 minutes. 

The first set was decisively Nebraska’s 25-6.

While these three players worked close to the net, another player was waiting for them farther down the court.

Penn State junior outside hitter Karis Willow made an appearance, and what an appearance it was. During the second set, Willow stepped out to serve for the Nittany Lions and show off her amazing setting skills. 

As Willow went to hit the ball, it seemed as though someone hit fast forward on a TV. Her sets were faster than most, which took the Cornhuskers by surprise. So much so that Willow recorded her first ace, sending the arena into a frenzy as Penn State started to make their comeback. 

The second set was 25-15.

When Nebraska entered the court for the third set, the fire flickered in their eyes. Led by Bergen Reilly, the Cornhuskers quickly ran up the score and spread the gap with Nebraska hitting 20 points before Penn State could barely get out of double digits.

Olivia Mauch, Jackson, and Allick intuitively anticipated Penn State’s every move. The final set was 29-13.

Facing multiple errors throughout the match, the Lions were set back, unable to keep Nebraska away from the victory.

With a deafening crack of the ball hitting the court, Nebraska jumped and cheered, knowing their battle against Penn State ended victoriously. 

Penn State travels to Maryland on October 5. Nebraska plays Rutgers October 4.  

Thank you for reading Female Athlete News. Lily Dorf is a student-intern at Penn State University.