Volleyball team records first-ever win against Penn State

The University Gym crowd was silenced as No. 4 Penn State earned their 24th point in the fourth set, one point away from forcing a decisive fifth set.

However, the IU volleyball team didn’t want to let this one get away from them after winning the first two sets in the match, 25-19 and 27-25.

The Hoosiers won the last three points of the fourth set, and the Hoosier fans went in an uproar as the match concluded.

IU defeated Penn State, the three-time defending national champion, for the first time in school history after going 0-39 in the last 28 years against the Nittany Lions.

“Everybody came together and knew we were going to put everything out on the court,” said sophomore outside hitter Jordan Haverly.

University Gym was packed with 1,741 fans cheering for the Hoosiers and also welcomed a good crowd of Penn State fans that made the trip.

IU coach Sherry Dunbar said she thought the crowd was a factor in the Hoosiers’ win.

“I felt they were living every point with us,” Dunbar said. “I feel like when you have a crowd that’s not large, but is really into it, then you have a really tough place to play for visiting opponents.”

IU came out strong, winning the first set, 25-19, after Penn State’s Blair Brown had a service error to give the Hoosiers the set.

In the second set, the Nittany Lions rallied from a five-point deficit before IU sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin’s service ace gave the Hoosiers the victory in the second set, 27-25.

However, the Nittany Lions showed their strength in winning the third set, 25-18.

In the fourth and final set the teams were tied 10 times before the Hoosiers came out the victor off Haverly’s kill.

The team then gathered in the middle of the court and celebrated as they made history as the only IU team thus far to beat the Nittany Lions.

“I really thought that everybody stepped up,” Dunbar said. “We talked about that, in order to win everyone was going to play better.”

Haverly led all players with 21 kills on the match and also registered six digs.

“Jordan just whaled on the ball,” senior middle blocker Ashley Benson said. “She knew where to hit the ball, and it just paid off tonight.”

The Hoosiers also won their first match of the weekend Friday against Ohio State by scores of 25-21, 12-25, 25-20 and 25-20.

Haverly and sophomore right-side hitter Kelci Marschall led the Hoosiers in kills with 14 and 10, respectively.

Sophomore outside hitter Ivie Obeime added eight kills off the bench.

“Ivie did a great job in the Ohio state game,” Haverly said. “She’s been busting her butt in practice.”

IU hopes to build momentum from its victories against two top-30 opponents.

“These two victories are great, and it definitely boosts up our self-confidence,” Benson said.

Haverly agreed.

“It just helps us because we know we are a good team and got off to a bad start,” Haverly said. “We know we can play with the best teams in the
country.”