<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1JWs35_0vj6WzW700" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1JWs35_0vj6WzW700" width="1765" height="1174" ><figcaption>Penn State outside hitter and rightside hitter Caroline Jurevivius (14) spikes the ball over the net during the women's volleyball match against Pittsburgh at the Petersen Events Center on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pa.&nbsp;The Panthers defeated the Nittany Lions 3-0. Alexandra Antoniono</figcaption></figure>After finishing nonconference play with consecutive victories, the Nittany Lions enter a 20-match Big Ten gauntlet.Penn State enters conference play at 10-1 and sits at No. 4 in the AVCA rankings.The Nittany Lions’ only loss this season is to No. 1 Pitt. The Panthers came out of the gates fast and dominated Penn State en route to a 3-0 sweep.“I’m happy with how the team bounced back after (Wednesday’s loss),” coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley said. “I think we learned a lot (about) what we need to work on and how we need to continue to get better for conference play.”It won’t be an easy introduction to Big Ten play for the blue and white as it travels to West Lafayette to face No. 10 Purdue — a team that took both games from Penn State a season ago.“(Purdue is) very good. I think they have a lot of great attackers,” Schumacher-Cawley said.While outside hitters are a massive part of the Boilermakers' attack, Schumacher-Cawley pointed out that Raven Colvin is a player that’s impressed her from the middle.Purdue is coming off its first two losses of the season, falling to then-No. 10 Kansas and then-No. 9 Creighton in the Jayhawk Classic.After a bounce-back victory over Tulsa to snap their two-game slide, the Boilermakers returning to their home court could play a massive advantage on Wednesday.“I think Purdue plays fast and I know they play really well at home,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “It’ll be crowded so we’ll have to be focused and ready to go from the first whistle.”The preparation Penn State has done amid a tough nonconference schedule is a process started from the top down.“As a coach and staff, I think you try to be as prepared as you can with what we do in practice and film we do with the player. I think that’s gotten better and better every year,” Schumacher-Cawley said.A player whose preparations have paid off is three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week Izzy Starck.Starck entered Happy Valley as the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2024 and has quickly proved why she was deserving of the ranking.“I see (the awards) and I’m getting (them) because I am constantly improving. So just focusing on what I can do next and what I can get better at and that type of stuff,” Starck said.A challenging nonconference schedule could prove beneficial for the Nittany Lions as they enter Big Ten play.Penn State starts conference action at 7 p.m. on Wednesday against Purdue before returning to Rec Hall for a match against Michigan State at 2 p.m. on Sunday.MORE VOLLEYBALL CONTENT</div></body>

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Penn State women’s volleyball preps for tough Big Ten Schedule

After finishing nonconference play with consecutive victories, the Nittany Lions enter a 20-match Big Ten gauntlet. Penn State enters conference play at 10-1 and sits at No. 4 in the AVCA rankings. The Nittany Lions’ only loss this season is to No. 1 Pitt. The Panthers came out of the...