Penn State welcomed Michigan State to Rec Hall for the ‘Silent Set’ match, an event in honor and support of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Coming off of its win against Wisconsin, the blue and white was ready for the Big Ten challenge.
Penn State overcame early errors to win the match 3-1, finding its power later on.
Both teams started the first set with powerful swings which overwhelmed defensive attempts at recovery.
After an ace by Gillian Grimes at 10-7, the Nittany Lions gained a small advantage that ended up faltering from mistakes in the backcourt.
Whenever Penn State would begin to pull away, the Spartans responded with strong blocks and kills that kept the set evenly matched.
Some of the best blockers in college volleyball, which make up the Nittany Lion’s front, had no blocks at 20-20, letting Michigan State’s kills find the court.
After a 3-0 run, the Spartans were able to take the first set 26-24.
Despite a few sloppy misses in the beginning, Penn State started to gain some momentum in the second set.
Errors continued to hold back the Nittany Lions as the set went on, preventing them from building on any lead.
Once Zoe Weatherington boosted energy with a signature block, the Spartans took a timeout to slow down the set.
The previously quiet blocking wall was making itself known, with three-straight blocks by Weatherington and Allie Holland.
After another ace by Grimes, Penn State won the second set 25-16.
The Nittany Lions seemed to carry the momentum from the second to the third, doubling the Spartan’s score at 8-4.
Playing in a seemingly aggressive style, the blue and white was eager to launch the ball over the net.
In a change from the previous sets, Michigan State was making many costly mistakes, allowing Penn State to finally take advantage of scoring runs.
Outside Hitter Jess Mruzik (9) aggressively attacks the ball during women's volleyball game against Wisconsin at Rec Hall on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions take the victory over the Badgers 3-1.
Continuing their new-found dominance, the Nittany Lions overpowered the Spartans with kill after kill, building the score to 20-10.
Finding its groove after early match errors, the blue and white rushed to take the third set 25-11.
The fourth-set started with another Penn State lead, setting a common trend after the first.
With its ninth service ace of the match, the blue and white was exposing holes in Michigan State’s receiving group.
The trusty arm of Jess Mruzik was keeping the Spartan defense on their toes, racking up 18 kills at 20-12.
Despite a last-minute fight by Michigan State, the Nittany Lions were able to win the set 25-18, finishing the match 3-1.
Penn State’s next match will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday against Northwestern – the last home match of the regular season.
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Penn State remains at home for the second-straight weekend after its biggest win of the season.