Penn State vs. Louisville women's volleyball results, highlights: Nittany Lions dominate for eighth national championship

Cate Schiller

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Penn State vs. Louisville women's volleyball results, highlights: Nittany Lions dominate for eighth national championship image

Sam Upshaw Jr.

The 2024 NCAA national champions have been crowned, and they're repping navy and white. 

That's right, after a decade-long drought, the Penn State Nittany Lions are back atop the mountain with their eighth national title. 

In a back-and-forth matchup against Louisville on their home court, Penn State remained steady the whole way through. The Nittany Lions jumped ahead quickly and claimed the first set 25-23, but the Cardinals didn't go down without a fight. With their backs against the wall and without star outside hitter Anna DeBeer, Louisville stood their ground in the second set, stealing it 34-32. 

After that, Penn State's momentum continued to snowball. Jess Mruzik turned on her third-set magic and dominated for her team — a common occurrence for Penn State. The outside hitter carried the squad with a total of 29 kills, and her teammate Camryn Hannah followed suit with 19. Outside hitter Caroline Jurevicius and middle Taylor Trammel were also forces in the front row. 

Penn State's win sends Louisville home just short for the second time in three years, but the Cards have plenty to be proud of. Despite not being able to play in her last game, hometown hero DeBeer, Elena Scott and the rest of the Louisville squad have marked another impressive season. 

The Nittany Lions have now made history in more ways than one, raising their eighth trophy in front of a record crowd of 21,860 fans and with Katie Schumacher-Cawley becoming the first female head coach to win a title. 

The Sporting News tracked live updates in the NCAA volleyball championship game between Penn State and Louisville below. 

MORE: Watch the NCAA volleyball campionship live with Fubo (free trial)

Penn State vs. Louisville score

 Set 1Set 2Set 3Set 4Set 5Final
Penn State25322525--3
Louisville23342017--1

Penn State vs. Louisville results, highlights from NCAA championship game

All times Eastern.

End of set four (3) Penn State 25, (1) Louisville 17

5:48 p.m. — And the Nittany Lions do it! Penn State are your 2024 National Champions!

5:47 p.m. — Championship point. . . 

5:46 p.m. — Cam Hannah, again! Two away from the natty! Elena Scott shanks the next one. 

5:45 p.m. — Maldonado Diaz and Petersen fire back, it's 22-16. 

5:44 p.m. — Four. points. away. Cam Hannah and Taylor Trammell both tack on kills.

5:43 p.m. — A Penn State tool puts the score ate 20-13, Mruzik leads the tally with 29 kills!

5:41 p.m. — Charitie. Luper. The outside smashes it from the middle for the kill. The Cards lose the next point from a net violation. 

5:40 p.m. — Robbins tips into the net, and it's 18-11. The Nittany Lions can taste it!

5:38 p.m. — Penn State is pulling away with this set, getting points closer to a national championship. If Louisville wants to change their fate, they need to act now. 

5:36 p.m. — And another stuff! Robbins sends Cam Hannah's ball right back. Trammell responds with a quick kill to make it 15-9. 

5:34 p.m. — Camryn Hannah, rejected! The Cards still trail by six, 13-7. 

5:32 p.m. — At 12-5, Louisville uses their final timeout. 

5:31 p.m. — A national record 21,860 fans are in attendance at the KFC Yum! Center tonight, exceeding the numbers from Thursday. 

5:28 p.m. — A rare error by Mruzik, sending one out. Maldonado Diaz crushes the next ball to middle court — much-needed for her squad. 10-5, Nittany Lions. 

5:27 p.m. — Luper sends one deep, but Dani Busboom Kelly challenges the play. It's 10-2, and Louisville could use a breather. 

5:25 p.m. — It's a must-win situation for the Cards. At 7-1, they've got to figure out a way to stop Jess Mruzik.

5:22 p.m. — Mruzik swings high hands and tallies another kill, the Nittany Lions are up 6-1!

5:20 p.m. — Louisville sends a free ball over, and immediately regrets it. It's 3-0 Penn State.

5:19 p.m. — It's the Mruzik show. The outside leads the fourth set off with a tool kill. Taylor Trammell follows it up with a huge hit down the middle.

End of set three (2) Penn State 25, (1) Louisville 20

5:14 p.m. — Who else to end it? Mruzik grabs her 20th kill to seal the third set.

5:13 p.m. — Mruzik tries again, and set point, Penn State! 

5:12 p.m. — Rejected! Sherman stuffs Mruzik to bring the Cards to 19. 

5:11 p.m. — Louisville is called in the net, putting the Nittany Lions three away from the set. It's 22-17. 

5:10 p.m. — Cresse grabs a point on the slide to make it 20-16. The Cards and Elena Scott pull off a huge pancake play, but Cam Hannah ends it. 

5:09 p.m. — Cam Hannah, rejected! A huge stop for Louisville. We're at 19-15. 

5:06 p.m. — Hannah Sherman drills one directly out of the timeout! Mruzik tools the block to reach 18-12. 

5:05 p.m. — Another stuff by Mendelson prompts a timeout for the Cards. 

5:02 p.m. — Jess Mruzik, are we surprised? She crushes her 15th to put the score at 14-11. The Nittany Lions put up a killer block right after.

5:01 p.m. — Petersen is on fire! The Nittany Lions make a big hustle play but Petersen calls the point, 11-8.

4:59 p.m. — Mruzik puts Penn State up 10-7 from the backcourt, she's at 14 kills so far. 

4:57 p.m. — At 8-6, Luper crushes it out of the back row!

4:56 p.m. — Payton Petersen grabs TWO cross-court kills in a row, pulling Louisville within two. 

4:53 p.m. — Elena Scott is everywhere, but Mruzik still finds court twice in a row, putting Penn State up 7-3. Timeout, Cardinals. 

4:51 p.m. — Back-to-back blocks, Sherman and Maldonado Diaz! 4-3 PSU. 

4:49 p.m. — Luper denied this time, Penn State leads early 3-1. 

4:44 p.m. — We've got ourselves a game, folks! The 2024 National Championship will be won in extra sets. 

End of set two (1) Louisville, (1) Penn State

4:41 p.m. — Charitie Luper can not be stopped! Cam Hannah rejected, and Louisville avoids ten set points to clinch the second!

4:39 p.m. — Mruzik, again! Set poin No. 10 for Penn State, 32-31. 

4:38 p.m. — Set point Louisville at 30-29, but Mruzik joins the party with a huge kill!

4:36 p.m. — At 28 all, Penn State is out of rotation, but a replay is called. Payton Petersen grabs an ace! 29-28, Cards. 

4:34 p.m. — Denied by Mendelson! Eighth set point for PSU, 27-26. Izzy Starck misses the dump, and we're back at 27's. 

4:32 p.m. — We're in extra points. Maldonado Diaz tools the block to tie it, again, at 26. 

4:31 p.m. — Luper. Again! Momentum has shifted and its 24-23 PSU, but a long ball ties the game at 24 apiece!

4:28 p.m. — Cabello, ace! We're at 24-21. Luper crushes another kill down the line for the Cards. Timeout, Penn State. 

4:27 p.m. — A major block by Penn State ends a long rally and puts them at set point!

4:26 p.m. — Jess Mruzik! The ouside drills one into the floor, and the Nittany Lions are two away from claiming the second set. 

4:25 p.m. — Jurevicius tools the block, and a missed tip by Maldonado Diaz makes it 22-19, PSU. 

4:23 p.m. — Botched pass by Cam Hannah, and then Cresse denies her in the next play, its 19-18!

4:21 p.m. — Luper grabs two kills in a row, one tool and one deep in the backcourt! Timeout, Penn State with the score at 19-16.

4:20 p.m. — Maldonado Diaz is collecting kills, bringing Louisville up to 19-14. 

4:17 p.m. — Cam Hannah drills one into the cross court, and Penn State is pulling away 17-10. 

4:15 p.m. — Hannah Sherman subs in for PK in the middle, but the Cards get stuffed right after. Timeout, Louisville at 16-10. 

4:13 p.m. — A long rally ends with a hammer from Maldonado Diaz! The Cards trail 13-10. 

4:11 p.m. — Louisville's energy is low, they'll need some momentum to turn this set around. 

4:09 p.m. — Payton Petersen shanks a serve from Camryn Hannah, putting them at six aces on the game. Timeout, Cards at 11-7. 

4:07 p.m. — ACE Payton Petersen! It's 8-7. 

4:06 p.m. — Cam Hannah crushes one to put the score at 7-4, but a missed serve brings Louisville back within two. 

4:04 p.m. — PK grabs a huge kill! The Cards trail by one.

4:02 p.m. — Stuffed! Mruzik solo blocks Robbins to go up 3-1.

4:01 p.m. — Ace to lead it off! The Nittany Lions already have four unanswered serves on the night.

End of set one (1) Penn State 25, Louisville 23

3:57 p.m. — A botched pass gives the Nittany Lions the first set, 25-23!

3:57 p.m. — The Cards are called on a net violation, set point, Penn State. 

3:56 p.m. — Huge kill by Luper! We're tied at 23. 

3:53 p.m. — Katie Schumacher-Cawley challenges the net violation, but it's unsuccessful. 

3:51 p.m. — Luper hits the combination play up the middle with no block, and PSU is called for a net on the next play. Louisville trails by one, 23-22. 

3:50 p.m. — Jurevicius tools the block to put Penn State up 22-20. 

3:48 p.m. — Gillian Grimes ace! Timeout, Louisville, 21-19

3:47 p.m. — Mruzik, Mruzik, Mruzik! The outside hits three times and grabs the point on the last one.

3:45 p.m. — Charitie Luper coming in hot! We're tied up at 19 and PSU calls a timeout. 

3:43 p.m. — Penn State leads 19-16, but Robbins drills a kill down the middle. 

3:42 p.m. — The Nittany Lions go on a 3-0 run. Timeout, Cards.

3:40 p.m. —  We're tied at 16 apiece. Louisville is called for a net violation.

3:39 p.m. — Back to back blocks! Cresse stuffs Mruzik, and Maldonado Diaz grabs the next.

3:35 p.m. — A long ball by Cam Hannah ends a 5-1 run for the Nittany Lions. The Cards grab some momentum with a tool from Maldonado Diaz. 14-12 PSU.

3:32 p.m. — ACE Ava Falduto! Penn State leads 11-9

3:28 p.m. — Mruzik gets the ball over out of system, but Maldonado Diaz slams it back! The Cards are ahead 6-5

3:26 p.m. — Louisville is the first to five, and Payton Petersen is proving herself in the back row. The Nittany Lions trail by one. 

3:23 p.m. — And we're off! Taylor Trammell leads the match off with a kill down the middle.

3:20 p.m.  — It's time for some championship volleyball! The title showdown between Penn State and Louisville starts now. 

3:06 p.m. — Bad news for the Cards. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly confirms that star outside Anna DeBeer will likely not play the entire match, still nursing a minor ankle injury. If so, freshman Payton Petersen will replace her on the court.

2:30 p.m. —The Cards get a warm welcome from their loyal fanbase outside KFC Yum! Center. Louisville native Anna DeBeer is notably back after an injury scare Thursday.

2:10 p.m. — Penn State has arrived in style.

2 p.m — We're just an hour out from the historic 2024 championship match. Louisville will fight for their first ever 'ship in front of a home crowd, while the Nittany Lions are looking to top the mountain again, ten years after their last title. 

MORE: Why Penn State coach Katie Schumacher refused to step away after cancer diagnosis

Penn State vs. Louisville start time

  • Date: Sunday, Dec. 22
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET

Penn State and Louisville will play in the NCAA championship on Sunday, Dec. 22. First serve will be at 3 p.m. ET from KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY.

What channel is Nebraska vs. Penn State on today?

  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Live stream: Fubo

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Cate Schiller

Cate Schiller Photo

Cate Schiller is an editorial intern for The Sporting News affiliate and commercial content team, focused on global partnerships supporting live events, entertainment and travel. Originally from Northern California, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a bachelor's degree in journalism and sports communications. Prior to joining The Sporting News, Cate was the Life and Style editor at her college newspaper, and a sports reporter at her hometown newspaper. In her free time, she enjoys baking, getting outdoors and discovering new music.