The Big 10 (or B1G) begins play with matches Wednesday and Friday. The marquee match-up of the week, not just in the conference, but nationally, features a rematch of last December's national championship tilt between No. 3 Penn State (12-1) and No. 5 Wisconsin (9-1), in Madison. The Nittany Lions' only loss so far this season was in a five-gamer to Stanford, whereas the Badgers' only setback was to Washington, likewise in five games.
The following chart (on which you can click to enlarge) displays information on hitting percentages associated with Penn State, Wisconsin, UCLA, and USC, with each team having its own column.
Looking at PSU in the far left column, for example, we see that the Nittany Lions hit an amazing .395 as a team during nonconference play, with four players, led by middle-blocker Nia Grant (.525), exceeding .350. And this is without last year's seniors Deja McClendon, Ariel Scott, and Katie Slay. Talk about reloading rather than rebuilding! Meanwhile, Penn State has held its opponents to an aggregate .125 hitting percentage. The Nittany Lions' schedule has been moderately tough, including games against two NCAA Sweet Sixteen teams from a year ago -- American and Kansas -- one against traditional power UCLA, and the aforementioned match with Stanford.
Penn State's gaudy hitting percentages derive partly, but certainly not entirely, from matches against weaker teams. As a team, the Nittany Lions hit .442 against UCLA, with four PSU players each hitting .444 or higher. In the Kansas match, PSU came out smoking on serve-receipt, siding out on 100% (10-of-10) of the Jayhawks' Game-1 serves. Grant hit .467 in this match, Aiyana Whitney, .571, and the Lions as a team, .319.
Wisconsin, whose most impressive wins include a sweep of No. 7 Colorado State and a four-game victory over USC, is hitting .296 as a team, with three players at or near .400. Washington held the Badgers to a .178 team hitting percentage, however, outblocking them 22.0 to 7.5. Even on such a bleak hitting night for the Badgers, setter-turned-outside-hitter Courtney Thomas hit .406. Thomas was profiled in the September 11, 2014 issue of Wisconsin's Varsity Magazine. In beating 'SC, Wisconsin's hitting was at a more characteristic .320.
Finally, we have UCLA and USC. The Bruins' two losses were sweeps at the hands of Penn State and, very unexpectedly, Loyola Marymount (now ranked No. 21 in the nation), whereas the Blue and Gold's best wins have been over No. 16 Illinois and No. 25 Hawai'i. Senior Karsta Lowe is pacing the Bruin offense, not only hitting a team-leading .368, but also taking 30.7% of UCLA's spike attempts (367/1195). Younger players Claire Felix (So.) and Olga Strantzali (Fr.) are also contributing well offensively.
USC recently experienced a three-match losing streak, falling at home to Texas A&M (3-2) and Florida (3-0) two weekends ago and then to Wisconsin last week. The Trojans' best win so far, at least in terms of rankings, was at No. 14 Kentucky. In sweeping the Wildcats, 'SC hit .313 while holding UK to .090.
During the losing streak, the Trojans faltered both offensively and defensively. Sophomore Ebony Nwanebu has hit above .300 for 'SC since returning from early-season injury problems, but Florida kept her totally in check (5 kills and 5 errors on 21 attempts, for a .000 evening). Also, though not as dramatically, Wisconsin contained 'SC junior Samantha Bricio (11-5-46, .130). Defensively, during their losing streak, the Trojans let all three opponents exceed .300 in hitting percentage (Aggies, .319; Gators, .303; and Badgers, .320).
Bruins and Trojans, Nittany Lions and Badgers. Pretty good matches to begin play in the nation's major conferences!
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