Louisville and Penn State’s Stunning NCAA Volleyball Upsets
As the NCAA volleyball season unfolded, it seemed like Pittsburgh and Nebraska were on a collision course for the championship game. Pittsburgh, the No. 1 overall seed, had an almost flawless regular season, losing just once to SMU, a team they had previously defeated with ease. Nebraska, holding the No. 2 seed, had only two losses and was coming off a championship match appearance in 2023. Both teams made it to the final four, just two wins away from the anticipated showdown. But Thursday night in Louisville had other plans.
Let’s dive into how Louisville and Penn State pulled off these jaw-dropping upsets to secure their spots in the championship match.
Louisville’s Resilience: Saving Four Set Points
In a nail-biting match, Pittsburgh and Louisville were tied at one set each. Pittsburgh had four opportunities to clinch the third set and take control. Leading 24-23, Pittsburgh faced Louisville’s fierce outside hitter, Anna DeBeer. She delivered a crosscourt kill, leveling the score at 24-24. After a Torrey Stafford kill, Pittsburgh had another chance, but Louisville repeated their strategy: Elena Scott’s serve receive, Nayelis Cabello’s set, and DeBeer’s crosscourt kill tied it again at 25. Pittsburgh led 26-25 when Olivia Babcock’s jump serve clipped the net. Scott managed to keep it alive, and Sofia Maldonado Diaz set up DeBeer for another successful kill, this time down the center. With Pitt’s final chance at 27-26, Charitie Luper’s crosscourt kill tied it at 27. Kamden Schrand’s ace gave Louisville their only set point, and Phekran Kong and Cabello’s block sealed the third set for Louisville. “It really showed that we wanted it more,” Luper said. “And we’re never afraid to back away from a fight.”
Penn State’s Grit: Saving Two Match Points
Nebraska was on the brink of victory, leading two sets to one against Penn State. Rebekah Allick’s kill put Nebraska at 24-22, just a point away from the championship match. But Penn State’s Jess Mruzik had other ideas. Her powerful swing clipped the Nebraska block, making it 24-23. “We touched it,” Nebraska coach John Cook admitted. “Jess did that a lot.” On the next match point, Nebraska’s Bergen Reilly set up Allick, who tipped the ball over the block. Mruzik managed to keep it alive, and Izzy Starck set from her knees, allowing Caroline Jurevicius to tie it at 24-24. After exchanging points, Penn State’s Camryn Hannah’s kill completed an 11-4 run, taking the set 28-26 and forcing a fifth set.
Louisville’s Freshman Hero
With Louisville leading 2-0 in the fourth set, Anna DeBeer turned her ankle, landing on a teammate’s heel. Freshman Payton Petersen stepped in and rose to the occasion. She contributed two kills, four digs, two aces, and a block in Louisville’s 25-17 victory, bringing them closer to their first national title. Petersen had only 31 kills, 24 digs, two aces, and five blocks all season. “When I got subbed in, these amazing people are always on the court cheering me up, giving me confidence,” Petersen said. “So the fact that I can lean on people just makes it so much better.”
Penn State’s Senior Star
With momentum on Penn State’s side, Jess Mruzik continued to shine. In the final set, she delivered a sharp-angle kill for a 2-1 lead. Her high swing off the Nebraska block extended the lead to 6-3. She blasted a back-row ball for a 7-4 lead. When Nebraska closed in, Mruzik’s perfect serve receive and another kill made it 10-8. Her sharp crosscourt kill in front of Lexi Rodriguez, who slammed her hand in frustration, gave Penn State a 12-8 lead. Nebraska closed to within two, but Mruzik’s 26th kill, her sixth of the final set, made it 13-10. “I think my backcourt helps me — I’m able to swing freely because of them,” Mruzik said. “I have them look at me constantly throughout the match just telling me to let it rip and telling me where they are on coverage so I know that when I’m going up to swing, they’re right there behind me.” Penn State needed just two more points, and they got them with two kills from Hannah, winning the match 15-13 and advancing to their 11th NCAA volleyball title game. “Tremendous performance by Jess. She hit some shots we had no answer for,” Cook said. “It was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen by an outside hitter.”
- Louisville’s Anna DeBeer and Payton Petersen were pivotal in their victory.
- Penn State’s Jess Mruzik delivered a standout performance.
- Both teams overcame significant challenges to reach the championship match.
Originally Written by: ESPN
