Friday, September 24
Piscataway, N.J.
7:00 PM (ET)
Rutgers University
vs
Penn State
Volleyball Opens B1G Play With No. 20 Penn State & No. 2 Wisconsin
Sep 21 | Women's Volleyball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers volleyball team is back at the RAC to open up Big Ten play this weekend. Fans are encouraged to wear RED to Friday night's matchup with No. 20 Penn State on Friday night and the Scarlet Knights will also face No. 2 Wisconsin on Saturday. Both contests serve up action at 7 p.m.
Follow Rutgers women's volleyball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
| GAME DAY INFO |
| Venue: | The RAC | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Admission: | Free |
| Parking: | Register Vehicle |
| Game Notes: | Rutgers | Penn State | Wisconsin |
| Statistics: | Rutgers | Penn State | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Video: | vs. Penn State (Pat Boyle) | vs. Wisconsin (Pat Boyle & Ira Thor) |
| Live Stats: | vs. Penn State | vs. Wisconsin |
| Social Media: | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
| FAN INFORMATION |
- Admission to all Rutgers volleyball games is free.
- All fans must register for parking - Click here to register your vehicle.
- Fans can enter with bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and approximately 12″ x 6″ x 12″, or one-gallon clear plastic bags or similar, and small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand, can be taken into athletic venues. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection.
- Wear RED to Friday's game for a chance to win Apple AirPods or an Apple Watch.
| ABOUT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS |
- Rutgers heads into Big Ten play at 8-3 overall marking the Scarlet Knights' best nonconference record since 2012. The non-Big Ten slate came to a close last weekend at the Big Orange Bash where the Scarlet Knights picked up a 3-1 victory over ETSU and dropped a 3-0 match with host Clemson.
- This weekend's contests mark the first of 20 Big Ten matchups this fall, including six games being held at the RAC. The Big Ten also currently boasts six teams in the AVCA Top 25 including Friday's opponent in No. 20 Penn State and Saturday's foe in No. 2 Wisconsin.
- In the 3-1 victory over ETSU, Shealyn McNamara swung for 18 kills, not only a new-career high but the most kills by a Scarlet Knight this season. She committed just one attack error against the Buccaneers and hit .607 over the four sets. McNamara leads the Scarlet Knights hitting .376 and ranks 10th in the Big Ten. Hitting percentage is not the only category the redshirt senior is featured among her Big Ten peers. She also enters the weekend ninth in blocks with 51 total and 1.31 per set. During nonconference play, McNamara was named to two all-tournament teams – UConn Challenge and Rutgers 9/11 Memorial Tournament.
- Fifth-year senior Beka Kojadinovic continues to lead the attack with 3.26 kills per set followed by classmate Kamila Cieslik at 2.32 kills per set. Senior Inna Balyko, RU's first-ever First Team All-Big Ten selection who is fifth all-time and second in the rally era in assists, is averaging 9.95 helpers per frame and ranks 10th in the league.
- Kojadinovic is also edging closer to becoming Rutgers' all-time rally-era leader in aces needing five more to surpass Ronnie Komiarek (2012-15) for the top spot. She enters the weekend with 90 career aces.
- Sophomore Madyson Chitty is collecting 4.23 digs per set for the defense and in just 11 games into her second season "On The Banks" is third in the rally era in digs per set.
| SCOUTING PENN STATE |
- The Lions also open up conference play on Friday night and enter the RAC at 7-3 overall ranked at No. 20 in the AVCA Poll. PSU has swept two straight with wins over Robert Morris and West Virginia after traveling to the West Coast for losses against No. 14 Stanford and No. 11 Oregon. Last season, the Lions went 10-6 overall and reached the regional semifinal falling to eventual national runner-up Texas.
- Jonni Parker leads the Lion offense at 3.67 kills per set, ranking fifth in the league, followed by Kaitlyn Hord at 2.28 kills per set. Hord is also a top Lion on the defense with 56 total blocks putting away 1.75 rejections per set coming in third in the league.
- Gabby Blossom, meanwhile, is dishing 10.12 assists per set, checking in eighth among Big Ten setters, and leads the squad with 12 aces.
- Defensively, Allie Holland joins Hord as a leader at the net with 33 total blocks with 1.30 blocks per set and checking in 10th in the category in the Big Ten. Jenna Hampton is also contributing 3.33 digs per set.
| SCOUTING WISCONSIN |
- The No. 2 team in the nation will be at Maryland on Friday night before making its way up to New Jersey to face the Scarlet Knights for the lone meeting between the teams this season.
- The Badgers are 8-0 entering the weekend with sweeps in all but two matches this fall. Last year, Wisconsin went 18-1 overall with its lone setback coming against national runner-up Texas in the national semifinals.
- As a team, Wisconsin leads the Big Ten hitting .356 and is averaging a league second-best 14.54 kills and 1.96 aces per set.
- Four-time All-American Dana Rettke is swinging away for 3.54 kills per set leading the Big Ten with a .569 hitting percentage. She is also fifth in the league with 1.16 blocks per set.
- Second on the stat sheet in offense for the Badgers I Julia Orzol who is putting away 3.46 kills per stanza.
- Also aiding the Badger offense is Sydney Hilley at 11.81 assists per set, ranking second in the Big Ten standings, and Izzy Ashburn with 13 aces to rank fourth in the conference.
- Joining Rettke at the net is Danielle Hart with 22 blocks at 1.16 per set.
| UP NEXT |
- Rutgers is back to the court at Northwestern on Friday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. (ET) and at No. 7 Purdue on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. (ET).
- Both games will be streamed by Big Ten Plus.
Follow Rutgers women's volleyball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Players Mentioned
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