Hoosiers Drop Five-Set Heartbreaker at No. 14 Penn State

Friday, October 6

University Park, Pa.

7:00 PM

Indiana University

12-6,2-3Big Ten

#14 Penn State

11-3,5-0Big Ten

Indiana

Penn St.

Hoosiers Drop Five-Set Heartbreaker at No. 14 Penn State

10/6/2023 11:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A two-hour plus battle, featuring momentum shifts and clutch performances by the set, went the way of No. 14 Penn State despite an all-out effort from the visiting Indiana Volleyball team (12-6, 2-3) on Friday night in Rec Hall.

Shaking off struggles in sets two and three, IU forced a fifth-set with a commanding victory in game four. Penn State closed on a 5-1 run in the final set to win the match as the Hoosiers fell 3-2 (25-18, 9-25, 21-25, 25-19, 11-15) in State College.

A historically one-sided series in favor of Penn State, the Hoosiers forced the hosts to a fifth set for the first time in the 62-game history between the two sides. All three of IU's losses in Big Ten play have come to top-15 teams including two on the road.

Without senior outside hitter Morgan Geddes available, sophomore outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles stepped up offensively with 15 kills and 17 digs for her first double-double of the season.

The Hoosiers face a quick turnaround, heading to College Park to play Maryland at 7:00 PM tomorrow night. It is the first back-to-back for IU this season in conference play.

Stats and Notes
Team
• When all said and done, the two sides were matched evenly offensively with Penn State holding a slight attacking edge (.209-.194).

• Both teams dug 67 balls but Penn State's 16 total blocks and IU's 10 service errors swung the advantage in the favor of the hosts.

• IU's 67 digs were the most by the team this season with eight players hitting the floor to record at least five. Alonso-Corcelles led the way with 17.

• The Hoosiers had 61 kills on the evening led by 15 from Alonso-Corcelles and 13 from graduate student middle blocker Kaley Rammelsberg.

• Tonight's contest was the first in the 62-game series to go to five sets between the two programs.

#10 Haworth, Camryn
• After being pulled for a stretch in the second set, Haworth came back in the match to run a balanced offense that saw five players finish with eight-or-more kills.

• She tallied 44 assists, eight digs, four kills and three blocks to help give the Hoosiers a shot at the end of the match. That marks her third match this year with 40+ assists.

#15 Kjolhede, Savannah
• The senior stuffed four shots, helping ignite IU's block in the final three sets of the match. With 321 career blocks, she now sits No. 11 in program history just five from moving into IU's all-time top-10 list.

#3 Alonso-Corcelles, Candela
• Playing a full six rotations for five sets on Friday, the sophomore produced 15 kills and dug a career-best 17 balls for her second career double-double.

#18 Rammelsberg, Kaley
• IU's fifth-year middle shook off a slow start to tally 13 kills in the match, using the block to her advantage. She missed last year's match in Happy Valley through injury.

#32 Gary, Ramsey
• Despite the ball going away from her every time, Gary produced 10 digs, the 16th time this year she's gone for 10+ digs in a match.

• She was served 19 times on Friday night, handling the ball at a perfect rate in serve receive. She had five assists and even tallied her first-career kill.

Scoring Recap
Set 1: Indiana 25, Penn State 18
• IU jumped on the hosts from the beginning, hitting .308 (17-5-39) in the opening set and winning comfortably 25-18 despite a late run from Penn State.

• Sophomore opposite Avry Tatum went for four kills on eight swings in the first set while Haworth assisted on 10 points to start things Friday night.

• A kill from Rammelsberg pushed the lead to as large as eight at 15-7 in favor of the Hoosiers. It would go back to eight at 20-12 when Alonso-Corcelles blocked Penn State middle blocker Allie Holland one-on-one.

• Junior outside hitter Mady Saris took care of an overpass to give IU the 25-18 victory in the first set.

Set 2: Penn State 25, Indiana 9
• The Nittany Lions quickly flipped the script in the second set, hitting .591 while holding IU to -.179 offensively. Right side Camryn Hannah and outside hitter Jess Mruzik each had five kills for Penn State.

Set 3: Penn State 25, Indiana 21
• After an unbalanced opening two sets, the two teams settled into the match with Penn State winning the crucial third set 25-21.

• Rammelsberg was huge out of the middle with six kills on 11 swings but Mruzik went for eight kills to counter for Penn State.

• IU closed the gap to one at 9-10 but a run of four kills from the Michigan transfer Mruzik opened up a 15-9 lead for Penn State and forced head coach Steve Aird into a timeout.

• Sarks brought IU within two at 20-22 but Mruzik put the set on ice with her eight kill of the frame to win 25-21.

Set 4: Indiana 25, Penn State 19
• The momentum turned in favor of IU once more in the fourth set with a solo block from Haworth forcing Penn State into a timeout down 1-5.

• Alonso-Corcelles and Rammelsberg went for seven kills on 14 swings in the set as IU hit .297 (16-5-37) in the frame.

The Nittany Lions pulled setter Mac Podraza but couldn't find a rhythm in the set. Penn State pulled within five late, fending off four set points but Haworth put it away with her fourth kill of the night.

Set 5: Penn State 15, Indiana 11
• Both teams hit over .300 in the fifth set with Alonso-Corcelles leading the way for IU with three.

• IU took a lead at 6-4 but Penn State responded with three-straight points. The two teams were level at 9-all after exchanging sides but the hosts quickly grabbed two points to go up 11-9.

• In need of a bounce to go their way, the Hoosiers saw a tip from Penn State fall off the block to go back down two points late.

• Penn State blocked Alonso-Corcelles on the final point to hold off a strong effort from IU on Friday night in Rec Hall.