Louisville vs. Penn State volleyball: Time, TV channel, preview for the 2024 national championship
πΊ How to watch the Cardinals play the Nittany Lions
Louisville and Penn State are set to battle for the 2024 NCAA DI women's volleyball national title.
Here's all the information needed to watch the championship match:
- ποΈ Date: Sunday, Dec. 22
- β° Time: 3 p.m. ET
- πΊ TV: ABC |
- πLocation: KFC Yum! Center | Louisville, Kentucky
- π Follow: Live scores and stats
We will be live blogging the game here on krikya18.com.
π Head-to-head: Match preview and players to watch
The two programs have faced off just 10 times since their inaugural match in 1982, with Penn State holding an 8-2 all-time record over Louisville. However, this championship clash promises to be a battle between two elite teams boasting exceptional rosters.
π΄β« Louisville
- Louisville leads all DI women's volleyball teams in blocks per set (3.10).
- Cara Cresse: Ranked seventh nationally with 1.49 blocks per set. Named an AVCA Honorable Mention.
- Anna DeBeer: Another AVCA All-American First Team honoree, adding star power to Louisvilleβs lineup.
- Elena Scott: Named to the AVCA All-American First Team and a Player of the Year semifinalist.
πππ has been named as one of 14 semifinalists for the AVCA DI National Player of the Year award!
β Louisville Volleyball (@LouisvilleVB)
Details:
π¦ Penn State
- Penn State ranks third in kills per set (14.50) and fifth in assists per set (13.53) nationally.
- Taylor Trammell: Ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.440) among all DI players. Named an AVCA Honorable Mention.
- Jess Mruzik: An AVCA All-American First Team selection and a Player of the Year semifinalist.
- Izzy Starck: Named AVCA Freshmen of the Year and named to the All-American Second Team.
πΌππΎπΌ ππΌπππππΌπ πππππππΌπ ππ ποΏ½οΏ½π πππΌπ π is the fifth National Freshman of the Year in program history!
β Penn State Womenβs Volleyball (@PennStateVBALL)
π Inside the match: History and what's at stake
The championship stage is set for a thrilling ACC-Big Ten showdown as Louisville and Penn State prepare to battle for NCAA volleyball glory. Both teams enter with momentum and history on the line, promising an unforgettable match.
π΄β«οΈ Louisville
- Louisville is chasing history, aiming for its first-ever NCAA title. A victory would be monumental for head coach Dani Busboom Kelly, who would become the first woman to win an NCAA Division I volleyball championship as a head coach and the first Louisville coach to claim the title.
- In 2022, the Cardinals reached their first NCAA championship match after defeating ACC rival Pitt in the semifinals, only to fall short against top-seeded Texas. Fast forward to 2024, and Louisville once again toppled Pitt in the semifinals
- A victory would make Louisville the first-ever school while a member of the ACC to capture the national title.
π¦ Penn State
- A powerhouse in NCAA volleyball, Penn State enters the championship with a storied legacy of seven national titles, all earned under legendary coach Russ Rose. Now, under the leadership of third-year head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, the Nittany Lions are writing a new chapter.
- Schumacher-Cawley has already made history, becoming the first Penn State coach to guide the team to the championship match since 2017. A win would make her the first woman to win an NCAA Division I volleyball championship as a head coach, while adding an eighth title to the programβs illustrious history.
- The Nittany Lions reached the finals by avenging their 2017 semifinal loss to Nebraska with a nail-biting five-set victory in 2024, capped by a 15-13 triumph in the final set. This marks Penn State's 11th NCAA final appearance
βοΈ Tale of the tape: How Louisville compared to Penn State in the regular season
Earlier this season, on Sept. 3, Penn State delivered an impressive 3-0 sweep over Louisville (25-15, 25-19, 25-13) on their home court. Now, the rematch shifts to Louisville, where the Cardinals will have the advantage of playing at home as they face the Nittany Lions once again.
Here are the stats against each other this season:
Penn State dominated offensively with 45 kills compared to Louisville's 28, outpacing the Cardinals by 17 kills. The Nittany Lions also excelled in ball distribution, recording 42 assists to Louisville's 26. Defensively, Penn State tallied 46 digs, 11 more than the Cardinals' 35. Additionally, the Nittany Lions showcased remarkable efficiency with a .358 hitting percentage while limiting Louisville to just .091.
| cATEGORY | Leaders |
|---|---|
| Kills | Jess Mruzik (13), Caroline Jurevicius (11), Camryn Hannah (8) |
| Aces | Camryn Hannah (2), Gillian Grimes (1), Anjelina Starck (1) |
| Blocks | Taylor Trammell (4), Maggie Mendelson (3), Jess Mruzik (3) |
| Assists | Izzy Starck (32), Gillian Grimes (4), Maggie Mendelson (2) |
| Digs | Gillian Grimes (13), Jess Mruzik (9), Ava Falduto (7) |
| cATEGORY | Leaders |
|---|---|
| Kills | Cara Cresse (8), Charitie Luper (8), Phekran Kong (4) |
| Aces | Kamden Schrand (1) |
| Blocks | Phekran Kong (3), Cara Cresse (2), Reese Robins (2) |
| Assists | Elle Glock (16), Nayelis Cabello (9), Cara Cresse (1) |
| Digs | Gillian Grimes (13), Jess Mruzik (9), Ava Falduto (7) |
π Stat sheet showdown
Let's take a look at how the overall season stats compare:
| Category | Louisville | Penn State |
|---|---|---|
| Record (Conference) | 30-5 (17-3 ACC) | 34-2 (19-1 Big Ten) |
| Team Hitting % | .273 | .284 |
| Opponent Hitting % | .149 | .179 |
| Assists per Set | 12.5 | 13.5 |
| Service Aces/Errors | 171/267 | 196/311 |
| Digs per Set | 14 | 14.6 |
| Blocks per Set | 3.1 | 2.469 |
| Top Individual Kills | Anna DeBeer (408) | Jess Mruzik (536) |
| Top Individual Assists | Nayelis Cabello (685) | Izzy Starck (1,428) |
| Top Individual Blocks | Cara Cresse (170) | Maggie Mendelson (140) |
π£οΈ Road to the national title game
Here are the paths Louisville and Penn State took in the DI women's volleyball tournament to reach the championship:
| Louisville | Round | Penn state |
|---|---|---|
| Def. Chicago State, 3-0 | First | Def. Deleware State, 3-0 |
| Def. No. 8 UNI, 3-2 | Second | Def. No. 8 North Carolina, 3-1 |
| Def. No. 4 Purdue, 3-0 | Regionals | Def. No. 5 Marquette, 3-1 |
| Def. No. 2 Stanford, 3-1 | Regional Finals | Def. No. 2 Creighton, 3-2 |
| Def. No. 1 Pitt, 3-1 | Semifinals | Def. No. 1 Nebraska, 3-2 |