It might not have been the ending that they had envisioned, but it was their reality.
Two of the nation’s top 16 teams were in the ring Friday afternoon, going blow-for-blow. One was going to advance, while the other packed its bags to head home.
No. 5 Marquette Volleyball (25-9, 16-2 Big East) took every punch that No. 1 Penn State had and more at Rec Hall in University Park, but ultimately couldn’t go the distance, falling 3-1 (15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 20-25).
“In terms of the group, I couldn’t be more proud of the group, being here,” head coach Ryan Theis said.
Marquette came out of the gates swinging, gaining an early 5-3 edge thanks to early kills from Aubrey Hamilton and Carsen Murray.
The Nittany Lions then woke up, responding with a 6-0 run of their own. The Golden Eagles suffered several self-inflected wounds, hitting into the net a couple times and committing a service error.
That would be the theme of the first set, as Marquette would drop it 25-15. Hitting into Penn State blocks and struggling at the service line ultimately prevented the Golden Eagles from staying within striking distance in the first frame.
In the second set, it was more of the same, as the Nittany Lions jumped out to an early 12-7 lead. Marquette fought all the way back though to tie the set at 16, then would win the next point to take a one-point lead, but that’s as close as they would get to winning the second frame.
After trading the next seven points, Penn State ultimately pulled away after Jess Mzurik set it up with a set point. Marquette would drop the second set 25-21, now starting elimination in the face.
The third set was back and forth pretty much the entire way. Marquette went to the middles early, giving its outside hitters a chance to break through late.
After things were tied at 21 a piece, Penn State went on a 3-1 run to push its lead to 24-21. The Golden Eagles then fended off three straight match points to even things at 24.
Then came an ace from Jenna Reitsma, and an ensuing timeout followed from the Nittany Lions. Marquette led 25-24 with a serve for set point for the first time all afternoon. An attack sailed long by Mruzik made sure the Golden Eagles wouldn’t leave Happy Valley without a set. The Golden Eagles took the third set 26-24 and suddenly were riding a wave of momentum.
“The fact that these guys, you know going going down 0-2, battled back and fought and pushed a really good team, you know a top five team in the country, I just couldn’t be more proud of them,” Theis said. “..Comeback’s don’t happen by being tentative and passive, so we beat that drum throughout the match to stay aggressive, stay aggressive.”
Marquette kept its foot on the gas in the fourth set too, earning a 6-3 advantage early. But as it had all day, Penn State fought back. After a service error, an Izzy Starck block and a Camryn Hannah kill, the match was even at six.
From there the Nittany Lions took control. After an extended Penn State 10-5 run, Yadhira Anchante served the ball into the net to give the Nittany Lions a 16-11 lead. The Golden Eagles had begun to run out of gas.
After pulling the match to as close as 22-20 after Natalie Ring’s 14th kill of the day, Penn State put the finishing touches on the win, booking its ticket to its 21st Elite Eight appearance in school history.
Anchante posted her 23rd double-double of the season with 35 assists and 15 digs. She finishes her Marquette career as the only player to ever post 2,000 assists and 1,000 digs.
Murray and Ella Foti will finish their MU careers with a total of 111 wins.
For a group that had accomplished so much in its three years together, reaching an Elite Eight was just not in the cards. The current core of players that had talked about going where no other team had before in program history, was right on the doorstep — twice.
However, those dreams will have to wait another year.
This story was written by Matthew Baltz. He can be reached at matthew.baltz@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @MatthewBaltzMU.