‘We have a good feel for these teams’: Penn State Women’s Volleyball takes experience into national semifinals

For the first time in seven years, Penn State women’s volleyball has reached the national semifinals.

The field consists of all no. 1 seed, which hasn’t been the case since 2008, when the Nittany Lions, Pitt, Louisville and Nebraska, which Penn State will face in the semifinals, are vying for the title.

Having already played the other three teams back in the tournament earlier this season, Penn State is relying on its experience heading into the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville.

While Penn State was swept by the total no. 1 seed Pitt on the road, it took down Louisville 3-0 in its home opener and beat Nebraska 3-1 in its regular season finale, and head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley sees an edge in those earlier meetings.

“I think it’s good for us because we feel like we have a good feel for those teams, and obviously we have to make sure we’re ready again to play Nebraska, which is an excellent team, ” she said. “I think it’s going to be a really exciting Final Four to watch these teams, and obviously we’re going to see them play a lot.”

With a trip to the national championship on the line, Penn State faces the Cornhuskers on Thursday for the second time in less than three weeks, with first serve scheduled for 30 minutes after the end of the Pitt-Louisville game, scheduled to start at 6 p.m. 18:30

Despite Penn State’s win over Nebraska on Nov. 29, which earned the Blue and White a share of the Big Ten title, the Nittany Lions are still preparing the same way they would for any other game.

Nebraska is the only remaining team not to have played in a five-set match during the NCAA Tournament and has dropped just one set in four matches, prompting Schumacher-Cawley to say the Huskers have played their best volleyball in season during their tournament. run.

“I think (Nebraska is) riding everybody right now. I think they’re well-balanced, their pins and centers do a good job of scoring, their defenders, they pick up a ton of balls. I just think they’re a great team all around,” said Schumacher-Cawley.

Prior to the Penn State win in late November, Nebraska had won 14 of the last 15 games in the series, including the last seven, so this season’s win brought a level of confidence that Penn State hadn’t seen in years.

“I just think the players believe they can do it if they play well together. I said from day one here, ‘If everybody does their job, we can get pretty good results.’ Everyone has spent time on their skills and how it is that they help the group,” said Schumacher-Cawley.

The win to close out the regular season was played in front of a sold-out Rec Hall and, according to the team, provided Penn State fans with a decisive advantage.

But in neutral-site games in the history of the Penn State-Nebraska series, the Nittany Lions have a 4-2 record, and Schumacher-Cawley isn’t shying away from a rematch outside of Happy Valley.

“Rec Hall, it’s really loud. It was packed. It totally helped and the girls loved it and it gave momentum, but I think being in a neutral venue at the Final Four with fans from all over the country coming to see us play, they’ll be just as excited and ready to go” she said.

Along with a large crowd, playing in the national semifinals can bring many distractions, such as events held for the four teams, playing in a new environment and national attention, but there appears to be a sense of focus in Penn State’s program prior to travel to Louisville.

There were many goals set by the team prior to the start of the season, including going undefeated at home, which it did with a 20-0 recordand reached the semifinal round, which it did by narrowly defeated Creightonand win a national championship, which would be capped off by two more victories.

Schumacher-Cawley said that while she hopes her players take advantage of the opportunity to play on this stage, she expects them to be focused on their goals.

“They know what we’re going there to do and I think they’re focused. I know we’re ready to go. My hope is that they soak it in and of course they remember goals they set at the beginning of the season,” she said.