No. 1 Nebraska Sweeps Past No. 3 Penn State Sunday

Match was played in front of the largest regular-season crowd in NCAA history

Sept. 2, 2007

Omaha (www.huskers.com) - In a battle of top-five squads, the top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team used a stout defensive effort to sweep past the Penn State Nittany Lions, 30-20, 30-21, 30-27, Sunday afternoon in front of 13,081 fans at the Qwest Center Omaha, the largest regular-season crowd in NCAA history.

Nebraska (4-0) held Penn State (3-1) to a .135 hitting percentage, the Nittany Lions' lowest of the season. PSU, which entered the match hitting .300 on the young season, was held below a .250 attack percentage in each of the three games after failing to hit at least .250 in just three of its first 13 games this season.

Penn State held Nebraska to a .228 hitting percentage, paced by 12.5 blocks. With both defenses clicking, the Huskers' relied on their depth as four different players recorded double-figure kills, led by 12 from senior Sarah Pavan. Senior Christina Houghtelling (10 kills, 12 digs) and junior Jordan Larson (11 kills, 12 digs) each added a double-double for NU.

Megan Hodge led Penn State with 15 kills, while Christa Harmotto added 11.

In the most offensive of the three games, Nebraska took a 30-20 win on the strength of a match-high .378 hitting percentage. Houghtelling paced the NU offense with six kills in just 10 swings, while the Huskers recorded two blocks and 26 digs in holding Penn State to .170 attack percentage.

In game two, both offenses struggled as both teams committed 10 attack errors, leading to a .000 hitting percentage from Penn State and a .103 mark from Nebraska, both season lows for each team. PSU recorded six blocks in the game, while NU posted five blocks.

Nebraska controlled much of game three, building a 29-23 lead before a late 4-0 run from the Nittany Lions. Senior Tracy Stalls ended the match with a kill on the Huskers' fifth match point. Pavan, who struggled through the first two games, paced NU in game three with seven kills on 16 swings, while Hodge added eight kills for Penn State.

The Huskers return to the NU Coliseum on Monday for a 5 p.m. match with 18th-ranked Cal Poly.