Updated Dec. 6, 2025, 9:28 p.m. ET
Penn State’s quest for back-to-back national championships in women’s basketball faces a stiff challenge on Saturday evening. The No. 8 seed Nittany Lions take on the No. 1 seed and host of the Austin regional, the Texas Longhorns, in a massive matchup in the second round of the 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball tournament. The two programs have combined for the past three national titles with Texas going back-to-back in 2022 and 2023 and Penn State winning it all last season. Can Penn State score a big upset of one of the top seeds in this year’s tournament on their home court?
Penn State advanced past South Florida in its first-round match on Friday evening with a 3-1 victory over the Bulls. Texas swept by Florida A&M as well. The winner of this match will take on Indiana in the quarterfinal round after the Hoosiers have swept each of their first two matches.
Check back as we update this live blog with match updates, reactions and more throughout the evening.
Texas sweeps Penn State, eliminates the Nittany Lions
Torrey Stafford’s 21st kill was the dagger to the Nittany Lions. Penn State could never get going, hitting .124 in the entire match. Texas, on the other hand, hit .452 with the block being nonexistent.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
Penn State had just three blocks in the entire match, compared to Texas’s nine blocks, tripling the block of the Nittany Lions. The blue and white didn’t record a single ace in the service game, something that plagued the team throughout the season. Texas had just two aces on five service errors, while Penn State had eight errors in the serving game.
Penn State’s season comes to an end. Kennedy Martin finished her first season as a Nittany Lion with 16 kills. Gillian Grimes ended her Penn State career with 11 digs. In Addie Lyon’s final match, in her lone season with Penn State, she finished with 29 kills.
The middle blocker production wasn’t there with Jordan Hopp and Maggie Mendelson ending their collegiate careers with just three kills each.
Kennedy Martin provided four kills after Texas entered the red zone. She got up to 16 kills as the Nittany Lions battled back against the top-seeeded team in the region.
Stafford too much for Nittany Lions
Torrey Stafford continued to give issues to the blue and white. As she did many times when she was with Pitt, Stafford caused many problems for Penn State in the orange in white.
Jurevicius pulls Penn State to within five
Carole Jurevicius’s sixth and seventh kills of the evening pulled Penn State to within five. Jurevicius and Sellman continued to try to get going as productive hitters on the left side.
The teams traded points for the most part, but multiple back-to-back points from the Longhorns gave them a 15-10 lead. Texas was the first to 15 and entered the media timeout with a five points lead.
Slide to Hopp works to perfection
Jordan Hopp hasn’t played much over the past couple of weeks. But, she started in the match against Texas and the connection between her and Lyon still held strong.
Penn State leads for first time in match
An Emmi Sellman kill in the third set gave Penn State a 2-1 lead. It was the first time that Penn State held a lead in the match after Texas dominated the first two sets.
Penn State couldn’t respond to the massive run from the Longhorns. After the 11-0 run, Texas went on two more 3-0 runs. The block came alive in the second set, including three blocks from Nya Bunton. Texas’ Ayden Ames and Cari Spears combined for the block on Kennedy Martin to end the set in dominant fashion.
The Nittany Lions head to the locker room with their backs against the wall and their season on the line. After falling 25-9 in the second set, the Nittany Lions would need to come out quickly in the third set to steal some of the momentum from the home team.
Texas continues control of match, goes on 8-0 run to force second timeout
After leading 8-7, Texas took over once again. Penn State had no answers to the block and the offense of the Longhorns. Two Stafford kills and back-to-back double blocks forced the second Nittany Lion timeout.
Despite using the final timeout of the set, coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley needed to try to stop the bleeding after the first timeout didn’t work.
AVCA National Player of the Year semifinalists shine in the opening set
Torrey Stafford had six kills, hitting .455 for Texas in the set victory. On the other side, Kenndy Martin added seven kills, hitting over .400 in the first set, as well.
Stafford vs. Martin was the headlining clash entering the match.
Texas takes down Penn State in the first set
Torrey Stafford put away the final two points for the Longhorns, defeating the Nittany Lions in the opening set 25-16. Texas hit a staggering .360 in the opening set, while holding Penn State to a .167 percentage and just 16 points.
The service errors once again plagued the Nittany Lions. The team had four service errors in the opening set while Texas had a clean service game.
4-0 Texas run forces Penn State timeout
Vander Wal’s kill and Torrey Stafford’s two kills gave the Longhorns a 20-13 lead. The Longhorns continued to hold control of the match.
A 3-0 run from Penn State, behind two kills from Caroline Jurevicius and a kill from Maggie Mendelson, was then responded with a kill from Abby Vander Wal and an attack error from Jurevicius, making the score 12-8.
Longhorn block leads early run
Behind a pack house, Texas got started quickly on a 3-0 run behind two blocks. Ayden Ames provided part of each of the double blocks on swings from Kennedy Martin and Emmi Sellman.
What channel is Penn State women’s volleyball vs. Texas on today?Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025Start time: 7:30 p.m. ETTV Channel: N/AStreaming: ESPN+ (subscriber only), FUBO (free trial)
Penn State vs. Texas women’s volleyball will not be airing on TV on Friday evening. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+ and Fubo, which offers a free trial for new members. ESPN+ subscribers can watch content through FUBO by connecting their accounts.
Watch Penn State vs. Texas women’s volleyball on FUBONCAA women’s volleyball tournament scheduleDec. 4-6 – NCAA 1st/2nd RoundsDec. 11-14 – NCAA Regional Semifinal/FinalDec. 18 – NCAA National SemifinalDec. 21 – NCAA National Championship
Be sure to follow USA TODAY’s ongoing coverage of the tournament.
FollowNittany Lions Wire onX,Facebook, andThreads.