LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Penn State Nittany Lions returned to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2017 and standing between them and a National Championship appearance was a team they defeated three weeks ago in the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
In dramatic fashion, Penn State pulled off the reverse sweep, 3-2, over Nebraska at the KFC Yum Center to advance to the program’s first National Championship since the last time it won it all in 2014.
Nebraska (33-3) captured the first two sets as Penn State (34-2) hung on and clinched the third set 25-23. The Nittany Lions would clinch an extended fourth set, 28-26, before outlasting the Huskers in a heart-pounding fifth set, 15-13.
Graduate senior Jess Mruzik led the Nittany Lions with 26 kills, while former Husker Caroline Jurevicius added 20. Gillian Grimes recorded 20 digs.
Nebraska’s Andi Jackson hit .630 in the loss with 19 kills, while Harper Murray led the Huskers with 20 kills.
Nebraska held a multi-point lead through a majority of the first set with Jackson igniting the offense with a pair of early kills. The Cornhuskers climbed to a 12-7 lead with a collective block from Murray and Jackson.
Penn State would respond with an 8-2 run that was propelled by Camryn Hannah and a pair of aces to put the Nittany Lions in front 16-14.
As the two Big Ten foes traded points down the stretch of the first set, Nebraska claimed the final three points and won the set 25-23 with a strong swing and kill from Jackson, who registered three of the last four points. The sophomore led the set with six kills, while hitting .750.
Grimes led the set with six digs for Penn State, while Jurevicius and Hannah each recorded five kills.
The Nittany Lions scored the first three points of the second set, but it was met by three-consecutive blocks by the Huskers with two of them coming via Jackson.
Nebraska’s blocking clinic continued for the Cornhuskers as their play at the net sprung a 8-1 run with another three blocks, including two from Rebekah Allick to make it 15-8 and force a Penn State timeout.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.A trio of kills by Jurevicius brought the Nittany Lions within four points, but the deficit was too much to overcome as Nebraska took the second set 25-18.
Looking to avoid the sweep, Penn State battled through a tightly-contested third set. Nebraska had an early edge, but the Nittany Lions rattled off five-straight points.
Penn State would go up 15-11 with a kill from graduate senior Jess Mruzik. Nebraska would then pull within a point, but a kill from Jurevicius and an attacking error from the Cornhuskers secured the fourth set for Penn State, 25-23.
The Nittany Lions hit .277 in the third set, while Nebraska recorded six errors.
Penn State came out firing in the fourth set, stretching its lead quickly to 6-2 and then 8-4 behind a pair of kills from Mruzik.
Nebraska would slowly chip away and tie the game at 15-15 as Penn State’s serve receive faltered with a pair of aces from Murray. The Cornhuskers would then capitalize on the momentum and extend their lead to 22-16 with two more blocks from Bergen Reilly and Allick.
However, Penn State would not go away, as it went on an 8-2 run to tie the game at 24-24. It was then an ace by Grimes that put the pressure on Nebraska. Penn State would finally clinch the intense fourth set, 28-26, with a kill by Hannah on a great set by Izzy Starck.
In the winner takes all fifth set, Penn State jumped out to a 5-2 lead that was highlighted by an ace from Ava Falduto. Penn State would continue to hold onto a three-point lead…
Penn State moves on to the National Championship to take on Louisville, who defeated the top-seeded Pitt Panthers 3-1. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at the KFC Yum Center on Sunday.
