Penn State Sweeps to First Title

After failing to win in three previous championship match appearances, No. 1 Penn State won the school’s first volleyball national title with a convincing 15-2, 15-10, 15-7 victory over No. 2 Stanford on Saturday night at Stan Sheriff Center.

Penn State senior Lauren Cacciamani, the national co-player of the year, was named MVP of the championship after recording 20 kills.

The Nittany Lions dominated with defense, getting 15 blocks and holding the Cardinal to a negative hitting percentage (minus .008).

“All teams start the season with the same dreams and the same goals,” Penn State Coach Russ Rose said. “And this game is about going out and getting a group of people together to follow those dreams and grasp it.”

In 1997 and ‘98, Penn State lost the opening game in the title match and went on to lose 3-2 matches to Stanford and Long Beach State. Penn State also lost in 1993 to Long Beach State. This year, the Lions pounced on the Cardinal, stuffing 10 Stanford attacks and posting 11 kills. Penn State roared to a 4-0 lead and was never threatened in the game.

“It wasn’t a match,” Stanford Coach Don Shaw said. “That absolutely was not us. . . . It was a nightmare.”