Still The Volleyball Match We Want: #1 Nebraska vs. #25 Penn State

#1 Nebraska vs #25 Penn State

When: Friday, November 28th, 5:30pm (CT)

Where: Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

Watch: Big Ten Network

Radio: Husker Radio Network

Live stats

We circled this match the moment the 2025 schedule was released; the annual late November Penn State game is always a great one. In the first AVCA Coaches Poll, PSU ranked #2, behind Nebraska at #1. Penn State received 21 first place votes to Nebraska’s 40. This match held some pretty high hopes in August. By now, though, Penn State isn’t having the season anyone expected, but let’s not let that take away from the excitement and desire to win.

While Penn State is no longer #2 in the poll, they currently sit at #25, some things remain the same. They still are defending champs. They are still well coached by Katie Schumacher-Cawley who will draw up a strategy to make it a good match. The Nittany Lions still have a premier roster, laden with talent. We know Huskers will be well prepared with a game plan. Lastly, we know Nebraska fans will fill Devaney and cheer at all the right moments against a great traditional rival. Even if they are having an off year.

Looking back, Penn State did not play well when Nebraska traveled to Happy Valley in October. The Nittany Lions hit -.114 in this match as a team which is well below their average of .257. Even if you look at another good blocking and defensive team in the B1G, Purdue, against them PSU hit .241. When last Penn State and Nebraska met, Penn State played poorly. It is not likely that they will do that again.

Penn State has had time to create connection and timing with 5’9” setter Addie Lyon. This timing and connection will lead to a better hitting percentage than in October, although Nebraska’s block and floor defense will still cause trouble for the Nittany Lions.

Nebraska will take advantage of Lyon’s smaller size when she is in the front row. They will do that by hitting off her hands and at other times over her. If that is her weakness, then her strength is that she has a smooth connection with one of the most lethal arms in college volleyball, Kennedy Martin.

Martin is a 6’6” junior. She plays on the right side of the court and stays in the match all the time. Martin receives about 55% of the sets for Penn State and earns about 40% of their kills until it comes down to the wire, then she receives almost every set. She is the biggest, most important threat for PSU. Nebraska must slow her down.

Typically serving tough will reduce a team’s offensive threat but with Martin, simply throwing the ball up in the air allows her to swing away. Anything short of an ace is still a danger for Martin to attack and terminate the ball. Nebraska will certainly serve strategically but that won’t be enough to slow Martin. She is just that good.

Penn State has three players probable for outside hitting time, Emmi Sellman, Caroline Jurevicius and Alexis Ewing. Jurevicius missed a bunch of matches with an injury. She has been back in the line up recently and you know she will do everything she can to have a great match against Nebraska. While Jurevicius was injured, Ewing, a 6’4” freshmen played a bunch. Just like her dad, NBA legend Patrick Ewing, she is very good with a ton of upside potential.

None of the outside hitters pass well so they are the strategic target for Nebraska servers. Penn State knows their passing skill, so they push the outside hitters to the very edge of the passing formation. Libero, Gillian Grimes, and defensive specialist, Ava Falduto, pass 90% of the court and leave the 10% sliver for the outside hitter who is in the backrow at the time. Servers risk serving out of bounds to the sideline when attacking that 10%.

Blocking and floor defense are essential to chip away at the Martin attacks. At 6’6”, Martin will be the tallest player on the court. But Nebraska will counter with some height of their own, the primary blockers in front of Martin being 6’3” Andi Jackson, 6’4” Rebekah Allick, 6’5” Taylor Landfair and 6’2” Harper Murray.

Along with their height, they must focus their hands pressing towards the point of attack so they can defend space. Doing this, they take away a whole pie piece of the court where Martin can’t hit. That allows the floor defense to play around the dead space created by the block.

Floor defense gets to that space just to the outside of the block and prepares to dig a ball hit with high velocity from Martin but then must also react to run forward when she tips over the block. This is the way defense works all the time in volleyball, but it must be executed at a very high level when playing someone as skilled as Martin. She can carve teams up with her shots.

Nebraska will have an advantage in the middle of the court. The two outstanding Husker middles, Allick and Jackson will carry a big defensive load in blocking but also must produce offensively. Across the net, Maggie Mendelson is a 6’5” senior. She is an offensive threat as well as a good blocker.

The second middle for Penn State will alternate between Jordan Hopp from Alliance, Nebraska and Gabrielle Nichols a 6’2” freshmen. When one of the second middles is front row, Nebraska has a clear advantage and whichever Husker middle is front row will capitalize on more hitting attempts.

This will be a great match and one we will enjoy. Bask in the glory of all the food you ate on Thanksgiving and watching an excellent Husker team.

#2 Ava Falduto 5’7” SO DS/L#3 Gillian Grimes 5’6” SR DS/L#4 Karis Willow 6’4” JR OH#5 Jordan Hopp 6’2” GR MB#6 Kate Lally 5’9” RS-SO DS#7 Addie Lyon 5’9” GR Setter#8 Gabrielle Nichols 6’2” FR MB#9 Lexi Gin 5’6” FR DS#10 Ava Jurevicius 5’9” FR DS#11 Jocelyn Nathan 5’6” JR DS#13 Emmi Sellman 6’4” SO OH#14 Caroline Jurevicius 6’2” RS-SO OH#15 Marin Collins 6’3” FR OH#18 Kennedy Martin 6’6” JR RS#23 Catherine Burke 6’3” RS-SO MB#27 Alexis Ewing 6’4” FR OH#44 Maggie Mendelson 6’5” SR MB

#1 Nebraska Cornhuskers (28-0, 18-0 B1G)

#1 Keri Leimbach 5’4” FR DS/L#2 Bergen Reilly 6’1” JR Setter#3 Allie Sczech 6’4” SR OPP#4 Campbell Flynn 6’3” FR Setter#5 Rebekah Allick 6’4” SR MB#6 Laney Choboy 5’3” JR DS/L#7 Maisie Boesiger 5’6” SR DS/L#8 Kenna Cogill 6’4” FR MB#9 Virginia Adriano 6’5” FR OPP#10 Olivia Mauch 5’6” SO DS/L#11 Teraya Sigler 6’3” FR OH#12 Taylor Landfair 6’5” SR OH#14 Manaia Ogbechie 6’3” FR MB#15 Andi Jackson 6’3” JR MB#18 Ryan Hunter 6’2” FR OPP#21 Skyler Pierce 6’2” RS-FR OH#27 Harper Murray 6’2” JR OH