Win streak at 102, inexperience, key injury may hamper Penn State women’s volleyball

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Record-setting Penn State volleyball returns

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The Penn State women’s volleyball team is getting ready to put its 102-match winning streak on the line.

It’s the second longest winning streak in Division I team sports behind the 137 straight victories by the Miami men’s tennis program from 1957-1964.

Penn State coach Russ Rose said at preseason media day Wednesday his players shouldn’t enter their first match Friday thinking they’re the best team in the country.

he’s worried about how the Nittany Lions will overcome the losses of top players Megan Hodge and Alisha Glass, as well as the left knee injury to key returnee Darcy Dorton. Rose is also concerned about inexperience with nine freshmen on the roster.

The Nittany Lions are preseason No. 1 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

“Well I didn’t vote them No. 1,” Rose said Wednesday at preseason media day. “I think it’s a nice problem to have at the beginning of the season. I don’t think it’s justified of course, we haven’t done anything. Maybe people thought Megan and Alisha were coming back for a fifth year and then we’d be a more relevant candidate for that.”

Penn State has won three straight national titles. The veterans are aware the nine incoming freshmen will face pressure to produce.

“Absolutely there’s pressure on them and on all of us,” senior defensive specialist Cathy Quilico said. “Every year coach has said this is a new team. He’s our biggest enemy. Everybody knows that he’s going to make us feel like we’re awful so we work that much harder in practice.”

Penn State, which opens Friday against North Carolina, hasn’t lost since falling to Stanford on Sept. 15, 2007.

Rose predicted the beginning of this season could be tough in part because of the youth on his team, though he added that kind of start could encourage them to improve and peak in November and December, when the stakes are much higher.

“There’s always an added pressure there, but we try not to focus on the added pressure,” senior middle hitter Blair Brown said. “I think we concentrate on this team and making this team better throughout the season. It might be a different season than we’re used to, but we really want to work on getting better throughout the season, peaking at the end of the season.”