Creighton Volleyball Falls to Penn state in Season Opener
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Lincoln, NEB – By alex-carter, world-today-news.com
Teh Creighton Bluejays, under the direction of new head coach Brian Rosen, began their 2025 campaign with a challenging 3-0 defeat against the reigning national champions, the Penn state nittany Lions, on Saturday. The match,a nationally televised event on FS1 as part of the AVCA First Serve,drew a spirited crowd of 10,438 to Pinnacle Bank Arena.
match Details
Penn State secured the victory with set scores of 25-18, 25-22, and 27-25. Despite a valiant effort, Creighton struggled to find its rhythm against a formidable Penn State team.
Martin Leads the charge for Creighton
Creighton’s offense was spearheaded by Ava Martin, a National Player of the Year candidate and the Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year. Martin delivered a strong performance,recording 19 kills and 9 digs while hitting .357. However, her efforts weren’t enough to overcome Penn State’s balanced attack.
the Bluejays finished with 39 kills, 49 digs, five blocks, and five aces, hitting .167 as a team.
A Competitive Contest
The first set was deceptively close, with both teams trading points early on. Nine ties indicated the initial competitiveness,but Penn State ultimately pulled away with a dominant 9-2 run to close out the set 25-18. florida transfer Kennedy Martin made her Penn state debut, contributing six kills in the opening frame.
The second set saw Penn State establish an early lead, extending it to as much as 20-12. A late surge from Creighton, ignited by the introduction of freshman Abbey Hayes and her two service aces, brought the Bluejays within striking distance. Though, Penn State held on to win 25-22, hitting .302 for the set.
Creighton displayed resilience in the third set, jumping to a 6-2 lead. Penn State quickly responded with consecutive aces, shifting the momentum. The set was a back-and-forth affair,featuring nine ties and three lead changes. A solo block by Brandewie gave Creighton a 16-13 advantage, but Penn State battled back to tie the score. Creighton even had multiple set point opportunities (24-22, 24-23, and 25-24), but Penn State consistently answered, ultimately securing the match with a block and a kill from former Nebraska redshirt caroline Jurevicius.
Penn State’s Dominant Performance
Penn State showcased a well-rounded attack, tallying 47 kills, 52 digs, eight blocks, and seven service aces.Kennedy Martin led the Nittany Lions with 14 kills and 9 digs, hitting.344. Jordan Hopp also contributed significantly with 10 kills on .562 hitting.
Looking Ahead
Creighton will look to rebound next Friday at 8:30 p.m. CT when they face No. 5 Texas in Madison, Wis., as part of the Opening Spike Classic. The match will be televised on BTN.