It would have been hard enough for No. 3 Penn State volleyball to play No. 1 Pitt anywhere, whether that’s State College, Pittsburgh or the moon.
But playing Pitt on the road before a record-setting crowd made it all the more challenging.
From the start, Pitt was the better team, and ended up winning in straight sets 25-15, 25-19 and 25-18.
The announced attendance of 11,800 was, naturally, mostly rooting for Pitt. For Penn State middle blocker Taylor Trammell, this had an impact.
“I think that if this were our house, this game would have had a different result,” Trammell said afterward.
She also feels it was great for the sport, especially in the state.
“At the end of the day, being here in this environment I think it’s great for Pennsylvania volleyball,” she said. “It just shows that we are the powerhouses right now.”
“Go Pennsylvania volleyball, right?” Penn State coach Katie Schumacher-Crowley said. “I think it was an awesome crowd. We talked about embracing this atmosphere, and I think it was a great learning lesson for this team and we need to rebound and get better and reset for Friday.”
Like Pitt with the Fitzgerald Field House, Penn State plays most of its home games in cozy Rec Hall. If Pitt could sell out the Fitzgerald Field House for a big volleyball game, it’s logical to think Penn State could do the same or close to it at the BJC.
To pull this off would require the right opponent, and Pitt, an in-state rival which has made three straight final fours, could be that opponent.
Pitt coach Dan Fisher would be all for it.
“I’m always open to a great volleyball environment,” he said “Let’s do it.”
