Penn State Women’s Volleyball Sweeps Missouri, Advances to Elite Eight

Penn State women’s volleyball advanced to the Elite Eight with a sweep of Missouri Friday afternoon in Rec Hall.

The top-seeded Nittany Lions defeated the Tigers 25-17, 25-18, 25-19 behind Simone Lee’s match-high 15 kills. They’ll face the winner of Illinois-Michigan State on Saturday at 8 p.m. in the NCAA quarterfinals.

How It Happened

Penn State got off to its strongest start of the tournament against the Tigers, hitting an outstanding .565 as a team in the first frame. Lee and middle blocker Haleigh Washington were clicking early, helping the Nittany Lions take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

Mizzou jumped out to a 10-6 advantage midway through the third set to make things interesting, but Penn State stormed back with a 7-2 run to retake command, and eventually the match.

Ali Frantti turned in a strong performance with 11 kills and five digs, while setter Bryanna Weiskircher paced the team with 22 assists. Abby Detering posted a double-double for the Nittany Lions, leading the defense with 10 digs and 12 assists.

Player Of The Match

Simone Lee | Senior | Outside hitter

Lee finished with 15 kills, eight digs, and a block in the victory.

What’s Next?

Regardless of the outcome of Friday’s second match, the Nittany Lions (32-1) will meet a familiar Big Ten foe Saturday night for a trip to the Final Four in Kansas City.