No. 4 women’s volleyball hosts no. 2 Nebraska with B1G title on the line – Penn State

On By Littum

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- No. 4 Penn State Women’s Volleyball has its eyes on a Big Ten Championship as it concludes the regular season with a matchup against No. 2 Nebraska on Friday in a sold-out Rec Hall. The match between two historic volleyball powers is scheduled for 17.00 and broadcast live on B1G Network.

Penn State enters 28-2 overall and 18-1 in the Big Ten, sitting just one loss behind first-place Nebraska in the conference standings. The Nittany Lions can clinch at least a share of the conference championship with a win, while the Cornhuskers take the title outright if they win. If the Huskers lose, they can clinch a share of the title with a win at Maryland on Saturday.

HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, November 29 – 5:00 PM ET
#2 Nebraska (28-1, 18-0 B1G) at #4 Penn State (28-2, 18-1 B1G) | Live statistics | B1G network

SERIES HISTORY
• Penn State is 11-28 in the all-time series with Nebraska. The teams first played in 1981.
• The Cornhuskers have won seven straight in the series, with the Nittany Lions’ last victory coming in 2018.
• Penn State is 4-5 against Nebraska at Rec Hall. Friday’s game is just the fourth against the Cornhuskers at Rec Hall since 2018.
• Jess Mruzik has averaged 3.75 kills/set and 2.44 digs/set in five career matches against Nebraska. Gillian Grimes has averaged 4.17 digs/set in two games.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
• Nebraska is ranked second in the nation and is 28-1 overall and 18-0 in the Big Ten after wins over Iowa and Wisconsin last week.
• The Cornhuskers have won 25 straight games. Their lone loss of the season came to SMU on September 3rd.
• Nebraska was picked first in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll. Senior opposite Merritt Beason, senior outside hitter Taylor Landfair, sophomore outside hitter Harper Murray, sophomore setter Bergen Reilly and senior libero Lexi Rodriguez were all named Preseason All-Big Ten.

PENN STATE AND NEBRASKA HAVE COMBINED FOR:
12 – national championships
21 – Ten major championships
2,952 – All time wins
205 – Weeks ranked as no. 1 in the AVCA poll
185 – All-Americans
13 – Olympians

STRIPES TO SEE
Camryn Hannah
· 12 straight games with double-digit kills
· 3 straight games with at least an ace

Quinn Menger
· 5 straight games with 2+ aces

Jess Mruzik
· 4 straight matches with double digit kills
· 4 straight games with double digit digs
· 4 straight games with double-doubles

Team
· 19 straight wins at Rec Hall

REC HALL SUCCESS
• Penn State is 724-55 (.930) all-time in Rec Hall.
• The Nittany Lions are 346-38 (.901) against current Big Ten opponents at Rec Hall and 378-17 (.957) against non-conference opponents.

REC HALL STREAK
• The Nittany Lions take a long Rec Hall winning streak into the week, winning 19 straight home games. The Nittany Lions’ last home loss came to Purdue on Nov. 5, 2023.

UP NEXT
• The NCAA Selection Show airs on ESPN Sunday at 18.00