In its first match appearance since winning the national championship, Penn State is breaking in a new-look starting lineup.
The Nittany Lions dropped their spring match to in-state rival Pitt in five sets (15-25, 25-20, 25-20, 23-25, 15-13), losing a lead in Set 5 to give the match away. Nevertheless, the Rec Hall crowd got to see what the 2025 Nittany Lions could look like once the regular season rolls around.
Outside hitter Emmi Sellman was one of Penn State’s offseason additions, making an immediate impact for her new team. Sellman swung down 19 kills on .341 hitting and four aces, giving the Nittany Lions reliable production from the position.
“I thought (Sellman) played well,” coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley said. “She took some big swings, and her passing was good. It was good to see her settle in a little bit, and it’s nice seeing her in the Penn State uniform.”
Jordan Hopp earned a start at middle blocker and played well at the net, recording six kills on .267 hitting on top of her five blocks throughout the match. Ava Falduto stepped in as a starter at defensive specialist, recording six digs and an ace.
Penn State’s returning starters were productive as well, with middle blocker Maggie Mendelson notching 10 kills while right-side hitter Caroline Jurevicius tallied five. Libero Gillian Grimes made 21 digs with three aces, and setter Izzy Starck dished out 40 assists. Additionally, outside hitter Karis Willow hit seven kills.
While many Nittany Lions were productive, Schumacher-Cawley knows everyone is still figuring out their role.
“It’s been a challenge for this group to kind of let them find themselves and figure out who’s doing what role,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “It’s a slow process, but I think the players are taking big steps forward.”
Each team battled to begin Set 1, but Penn State found the match’s first significant lead. The Nittany Lions went on a 5-0 run for an 11-5 advantage early, preventing the Panthers’ offense from getting into sync.
Despite the unideal position, Pitt settled in, cutting the lead to just two, 14-12, forcing Penn State to call a timeout. The Nittany Lions recovered, getting back out to a significant advantage and put the set away for a 25-15 victory.
Pitt rebounded well after dropping Set 1, building a 14-8 lead to begin Set 2. However, Penn State stole the momentum with a 3-0 run, coming as close to the advantage as one point, 14-13.
While the Panthers retook control of the set after a couple of errors by the Nittany Lions, powerful swings from Mendelson, Willow and Sellman brought their squad into the lead, 19-18.
Pitt showcased resiliency, and behind the service efforts of Emery Dupes, the team regained its control, tying the match score after an ace by Dupes.
Carrying over their success to Set 3, the Panthers were the beneficiaries of a quick start, earning a 7-1 lead. While Penn State made some plays in the early goings, it still trailed by six, 13-7.
The Nittany Lions started to string together rallies to dig themselves out of the deficit, forcing a Pitt timeout while down by just three, 15-12. Despite that timeout, Willow and Gabrielle Nichols teamed up for a block a few rallies later, tying the set at 17 apiece.
However, Pitt, behind two 3-0 runs, regained its grasp of Set 3, earning a win to give itself an opportunity to end the match in four sets, but Penn State didn’t let that come easily.
In a flipped script from Set 3, the Nittany Lions were the ones to gain a 7-1 lead behind production from many attackers. While the two teams matched each other on the ensuing rallies, Penn State still held a 12-6 advantage.
Pitt threatened to make Set 4 closer with a 4-0 run, but Sellman’s versatile play powered a 16-11 lead for the Nittany Lions. However, that advantage was short-lived, with the Panthers pouncing to just a one-point deficit, 16-15.
The Nittany Lions responded with a 4-2 run to give themselves some breathing room, but they still needed five points to extend the match. Hopp and Falduto scored the first two points towards that goal, and a service error by Pitt put their squad in an advantageous 23-20 position.
Mendelson gave Penn State a set-point opportunity, which it took advantage of after an attacking error by the Panthers to force Set 5.
The two teams were even to begin the winner-take-all set, as the Nittany Lions held a slight lead, 3-2. However, Penn State turned it up a notch, preventing Pitt from getting into rhythm on the next two rallies to score two points.
Furthermore, a kill and an ace by Sellman extended not only the Nittany Lions’ lead to 8-3 but also gave Rec Hall energy as each squad switched sides of the court. Even on the other side of the net, the production for Penn State continued with a kill by Mendelson for a 10-4 advantage.
“When you have a lead like that, you have to be able to close out,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “Pitt’s a great team, and they take some big swings, but being able to finish is part of it.”
However, the Panthers didn’t go away easily. Three straight points by Pitt put the Nittany Lions in a tougher position, but with a three-point lead, the match was still theirs for the taking.
Despite a timeout, Penn State couldn’t get any scoring production going on the next three rallies, allowing the Panthers to tie the set. Each squad traded points on the ensuing two rallies, setting the stage for an eventful ending.
The two teams once again traded blows, with Sellman tying the set at 13 apiece after a kill. The Panthers’ defense stood tall, making two key blocks to secure the spring match victory.
“I’m just glad we got quite some time before we play our first official match in August,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
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