Cara Cresse and Charitie Luper each recorded eight kills, but it wasn’t enough as the No. 4-ranked University of Louisville volleyball team fell 25-15, 25-19, 25-13 to No. 7 Penn State on Tuesday night in Happy Valley. This marks the Cardinals’ first sweep since their 2022 loss to Texas in the NCAA finals, dropping them to 2-1 on the season.
The Cardinals struggled offensively, hitting just .091 with three blocks. Phekran Kong added four kills and three blocks, while Elena Scott led the defense with 12 digs.
Penn State, on the other hand, put together a strong performance, hitting .358 as a team with five aces and eight blocks. The Nittany Lions were particularly dominant in siding out, achieving a 93 percent side-out rate in the first set and 92 percent in the third. Jess Mruzik led Penn State with 13 kills, while Camryn Hannah contributed eight kills and two aces.
Set-by-Set Recap:
Set 1:
Louisville struggled to find its rhythm in the first set, hitting only .111 while Penn State dominated with a .398 hitting percentage and three blocks. The teams remained close early on, but a six-point run by the Nittany Lions extended their lead to 19-11, allowing them to cruise to a 25-15 victory.
Set 2:
The Cardinals kept the second set competitive, staying within one point midway through, but a 6-0 run by Penn State put them ahead 16-10. Louisville responded with a 6-0 run of their own, tying the set at 16. However, Penn State regained control with a four-point run, eventually closing out the set 25-19 despite Louisville’s efforts. The Cards’ .027 hitting percentage and three blocks were not enough to turn the tide.
Set 3:
In the final set, Penn State quickly took control with a 7-1 run, building a 16-11 lead. They maintained their momentum with a 9-2 run to finish the set, hitting an impressive .583 and winning 25-13. This point total was Louisville’s lowest since their 25-13 loss to Oregon in the NCAA tournament, though they had bounced back to win that match in five sets.
The Cardinals will look to regroup as they head to Northern Kentucky for a tournament this weekend, where they will face NKU, South Dakota, and Missouri.
