NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The Rutgers volleyball team began its three-game season ending homestand against a trio of top ten programs suffering a 3-0 setback to No. 8 Penn State on Sunday afternoon at the College Avenue Gym falling by scores of 25-14, 25-19, 25-12.
 

STANDOUT STATS

• Sophomores Tali Marmen and Anastasiia Maksimova led the Scarlet Knight offense with six kills apiece, while on defense Maksimova added five digs and Marmen recorded a pair of block assists.
• Sophomore Inna Balyko directed the offense with 18 assists along a pair of service aces and seven digs.
• Senior libero Karysa Swackenberg collected a game-high 12 digs.

KEY MOMENTS

• Set 1 (14-25) | Tali Marmen registered back-to-back points for the Scarlet Knights to tie the set up early at 4-4, but a 5-1 run by the Lady Lions, including a trio of kills from Tori Gorrell put Penn State out in front at 10-5. Rutgers chased the PSU lead as Marmen and Merle Weidt teamed up at the net for blocks and Weidt followed up with a kill as RU trailed 14-10. The Lady Lions, however, responded with four-straight and outscored RU, 11-4, to close out the set.
• Set 2 (19-25) | Inna Balyko opened up the second set with a service ace and a swing by Anastasiia Maksimova put the Scarlet Knights out in front at 5-4.  Three plays later, Maskimova served up an ace to give Rutgers a 7-5 edge. The Lady Lions scored five-straight points to pull in front, however, another kill by Maskimova followed by an ace from Karysa Swackenberg saw RU behind by one at 10-9. Penn State responded with three-consecutive points, but Rutgers battled back with a trio of points of their own off a pair of PSU errors and kill from Marmen. With Rutgers trailing 13-12, Penn State outscored the home team, 7-1, to take control of the set.     
• Set 3 (12-25) | An attack from Maskimova saw Penn State holding on a 6-5 edge and Rutgers would still be within one after a Lady Lion service saw had the Scarlet Knights trailing, 8-7. Penn State, who hitting .500 for the set, responded with three-straight to go up 11-7 and added a 5-0 run for an 18-9 lead.

KNIGHT NOTES

• The Lady Lions marked the eighth match against a top 25 program as the Scarlet Knights close out the season next weekend with back-to-back top 10 opponents.

UP NEXT

The Scarlet Knights wrap up the season next weekend hosting No. 7 Minnesota on Friday, Nov. 29 and No. 5 Wisconsin on Saturday, Nov. 30. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. with seniors Stasa Miljevic, Karysa Swackenberg and Jasmine Stackhouse honored on senior night before Saturday's match with the Badgers.
 
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