Penn State women’s volleyball set for a huge weekend
Penn State looks to keep its stellar season going against two big tests in Ohio State and Illinois.
The Nittany Lions have had a near-flawless season going 13-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play. This is a talented squad with sky-high expectations heading into the stretch run.
The major news coming into the season was the changing of the guard. Katie Schumacher Cawley was announced as the third coach in Penn State women’s volleyball history after Russ Rose left after his 42 seasons.
Despite all the changes in the offseason, this has not been a rebuilding year for the Nittany Lions. This is a testament to the caliber of the program Rose built and how seamless the transition was for Cawley.
However, the blue and white hit a bit of a skid towards the end of September. Penn State lost two in a row against Michigan and Wisconsin.
In both contests, Penn State was overmatched and didn’t win a set, getting swept 3-0 in both matches.
The Nittany Lions were able to rebound against a solid 10-5 Michigan State team. However, Friday and Sunday is the biggest test of the year for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions will head to Columbus to face No. 6 Ohio State and host Illinois for throwback night at Rec Hall.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes will be the toughest test yet for Penn State. Ohio State is only 7-5, but they have had a gauntlet of a schedule.
The Buckeyes’ losses came against then-No.2 Texas, No.15 San Diego, No.12 Pittsburgh and No.3 Nebraska.
The trio of Emily Lodot, Gabby Gonzales and Jenaisya Moore has been an offensive recipe for Ohio State’s success. The three lead the team in points and lead a formidable attack that thrives off kills.
Lodot is a must-watch, and Penn State will have to gameplan for her. The Utica, Ohio native is a year removed from being an honorable mention for the All-American team.
However, Penn State has dominated the series between their arch-rivals. Winning 33 of the last 42 matches since 1998 against the state they share a border with.
Illinois
Penn State then returns home to face the Illini, who are 7-7 this season and 2-2 on the season. Illinois is a step down in competition compared to Ohio State, but the Nittany Lions won’t be able to sleepwalk.
Raini Terry leads Illinois in points by a wide margin. Terry has 248.5 points with 206 kills.
The Illini is another team Penn State has owned recently, winning eight of the last ten and winning 36 of the matches since 1998.
This weekend has huge implications for the rest of the season. These are two huge Big Ten opponents, and Penn State has the chance to make a statement against their arch-rival.
It will be a short turnaround, but Cawley has a chance to show how far this program has progressed.
Aidan Torok is a third-year majoring in telecommunications and minoring in broadcast journalism and Political Science. To contact him, email ajt6051@psu.edu.
