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University Park, Pa., Dec. 7, 2005 ¨C The second-ranked Penn State women¡¯s volleyball team (31-2) continues its journey through the NCAA Tournament Friday, hosting No. 17 Tennessee (23-8) at 6:00 p.m. at Rec Hall. The 4:00 p.m. match features No. 6 Hawaii (27-6) and No. 8 Missouri (24-4), with the winners of each match squaring off on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 4:00 p.m. for a berth in the NCAA National Semifinal on Dec. 15 in San Antonio.

Livestats for all matches and radio for the Penn State matches can be found at www.GoPSUsports.com and Saturday¡¯s match can be seen live nationally on ESPNU.

Tickets for the event are still available by phone at 1-800-863-3336 or by visiting the Bryce Jordan Center Ticket Office, the Eisenhower Auditorium Ticket Office and Penn State Tickets Downtown. All-session Tickets (available until Friday, Dec. 9) are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, PSU students and youth (ages 13-18) and $4 for youth (under age 12). Groups of 10 or more under the age of 21 are just $4 per person.

Single-session Tickets (only available at Rec Hall Ticket Office Dec. 9-10) are $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens, PSU students and youth (ages 13-18) and $3 for youth (under age 12).

Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics has teamed up with two local sponsors to provide extra incentive for PSU Students to attend the NCAA Regionals. Old State Clothing and Josten's have combined to offer $5,000 in prize money to be spread out to the top five student groups that attend the matches this weekend. Prize money will go to the 2006 Dance Marathon in care of the top three Greek organizations and the top two independent organizations. Students who wish to take part in the competition can buy tickets at the Rec Hall Ticket office at the designated Dance Marathon ticket window beginning Friday afternoon. The Penn State Dance Marathon, or THON as it is affectionately known, is the largest student-run philanthropy in the nation, raising millions of dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund benefiting children with cancer and their families.

Fans who purchase tickets to both the Women's Volleyball NCAA Regional Championship and the Men's Volleyball National Collegiate Championship will receive a miniature Rec Hall statue, the first of its kind at Penn State. The hand-painted and -crafted statue features a roof that can be removed, with features inside that are identical to the building that has been home to countless exciting moments in Penn State Athletics history. The "Rec-licas" will be available to be picked up by fans at the Men's Championship in May, and can be claimed at the event. Fans with questions or seeking more information about tickets and the Rec-lica can email their questions to lnc109@psu.edu.

Previewing Penn State
The Nittany Lions come into the match with a 31-2 overall record, sweeping Binghamton and Long Island last weekend at home. Unanimous Big Ten Freshman of the Year outside hitter Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio), who last weekend set the NCAA Tournament record for hitting percentage in a match (.889/16-0-18), leads the squad with 4.50 kills per game as four other players add more than 2.00 kills per game. Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten career assists leader senior setter Sam Tortorello (Shorewood, Ill.) dishes out an average of 13.33 assists per game as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year senior libero Kaleena Walters (Mt. Lebanon, Pa.) tops the squad with 4.90 digs per game. All-Big Ten selection sophomore middle hitter Melissa Walbridge (Yardley, Pa.) leads the blocking front with 1.46 blocks per game and junior opposite and middle hitter Cassy Salyer (Aurora, Colo.) is chipping in 1.00 blocks per game and 2.57 kills per game to aid the squad. As a team, Penn State is hitting .313 with 16.46 kills per game, 1.36 service aces per game, 15.79 digs per game and 3.59 blocks per game.

Scouting Tennessee
The Lady Vols enter the match with a 23-8 record after defeating Jacksonville State and Minnesota last weekend at home and have now won 12 of their last 13 matches. Sophomore outside hitter Yuliya Stoyanova leads the team with 4.15 kills per game as senior middle hitter Kristen Andre chips in 3.50 kpg and junior outside hitter Kelsey Fautsch adds 2.94 kpg. Senior setter Julie Knytych directs the offense with 12.33 assists per game as senior libero Amy Morris leads the defense with 4.69 digs per game. Junior middle hitter Sarah Blum heads the blocking chart with 1.45 blocks per game as Andre adds 1.10 bpg. As a team, Tennessee is hitting .251 with 15.66 kills per game, 1.32 service aces per game, 16.61 digs per game and 2.85 blocks per game.

The Series
Penn State leads Tennessee, 5-3, in a series that began in 1982. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion win (15-5, 15-10, 16-14) on Nov. 11, 1989. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in the NCAA Tournament.

In the NCAA Tournament
The Nittany Lions are one of only three teams to advance to every NCAA Tournament since its inception in 1981. Penn State joins Stanford and UC Santa Barbara as the only teams to accomplish the feat. Pacific, the fourth team that had been in the group, failed to make the tournament this year.

Penn State has compiled an overall record of 45-23 (.662) in the tournament, including five trips to the NCAA Semifinals (1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999) and one National Championship (1999). Penn State is 30-2 in NCAA Tournament matches at Rec Hall. Last season the Nittany Lions fell to UCLA in the NCAA Regional Semifinal in Seattle, Wash.

For more information on the Penn State women¡¯s volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.