It’s rare that a defending national champion seeks revenge, but when Pitt volleyball steps on the floor against Penn State this Wednesday, that scenario will play out.
Pitt demolished Penn State in front of a sold out crowd of 11,800 in the Petersen Events Center last season. The Panthers swept the Nittany Lions, winning 25-15, 25-19 and 25-18.
The game was never close, and Penn State was not a fair match for the Panthers, who had yet to lose a set in the 2024 regular season. The Nittany Lions want to erase that embarrassment from memory this Wednesday. In fact, they would prefer to do the exact thing that Pitt did to them on their home floor.
It seems like Penn State has a chance to do that based on how hard it is for opponents to come into Rec Hall and leave with a win. In 2024, not a single team marched into Rec Hall and left with a win — they went a combined 0-20.
“If Pitt was at our house, I think that this game would have had a different result,” former Penn State middle blocker Taylor Trammell said after the loss.
Now, Penn State has a chance to prove Trammel right with a win on Wednesday. But Pitt won’t make it easy for Penn State.
The lead up
The Panthers are only improving throughout the season, and the Nittany Lions have been slowly falling from the highs of winning the National Championship in 2024.
Pitt is undefeated in its last seven games of the season after falling in its first two contests. Penn State is 4-3 on the season, losing three of its last five matches.
To make matters worse for Penn State, its star setter and 2024 AVCA Freshman of the Year, Izzy Starck, has stepped away from the program for the remainder of the season after only participating in the team’s first four games. In an Instagram post, Starck said she stepped away from the program to “prioritize [her] mental health.”
Starck was sensational for the Nittany Lions in 2024, and losing her completely changes the outlook for Penn State this season. Although it hurts the Nittany Lions, Starck made the correct decision, because mental health is far more important than any trophy this world could offer.
But Starck’s absence doesn’t make Penn State an easy win for Pitt. The Nittany Lions have one of the best opposite hitters in the nation with junior Kennedy Martin, and she will pose a major threat to the Panthers. In the six matches Martin has played this season, the Florida transfer and 2024 First-Team All American has 101 kills and a .283 hitting percentage. She currently has more kills per set than Pitt’s junior opposite hitter Olivia Babcock — 4.59 to 4.29.
Common opponents
Penn State’s three losses this season have all come from opponents that Pitt has beaten this season. The three teams both Pitt and Penn State have faced are Arizona State, TCU and Kentucky.
In the State Farm Showcase, Pitt swept Arizona State and beat TCU in four sets. Penn State, also in the State Farm Showcase, lost its first two games of the season — losing to Arizona State in four sets and TCU in five sets. The Nittany Lions even had Starck playing in those two games.
Then, after taking two straight losses in PPG Paints Arena and Starck departing from the program, the Nittany Lions were swept by Kentucky. The Panthers, on the other hand, swept Kentucky this past week.
So, by the transitive property, Pitt should blow out Penn State. But we all know that sports don’t make sense like that, and there is a reason we play the games. Besides, it’s a rivalry game and a revenge game — anything can happen.
The Panthers will take the court against Penn State on Wednesday, Sept. 17, in University Park, Pennsylvania. The game will air at 7 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
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