As a volleyball fan, I have to say that this matchup between Penn State and Hawai'i is one of the matches that I've been wanting to see all season. The Nittany Lions have been ranked No. 1 for years - literally - and the Rainbow Wahine has been at No. 3 in the AVCA poll since early October. Throughout the season, I've wondered if there are any teams out there that could possibly end Penn State's streak - and Hawai'i is one that seems to have that potential. I love it when we get to see these dream matches late in the NCAA tournament.

Even with all of the anticipation, the first set did not disappoint. Any time I watch a Penn State, I enjoy the stretches of competitive play when they appear ... and I just wait for it - that streak of gorgeous kill after gorgeous kill punctuated by perfect blocking that puts the set out of reach (streaks that are, incidentally, exactly what we saw from Texas near the end of each set in the first semifinal). There was a sense that the Lions might be on the verge of that when they got up by a few points early in the set. Penn State led 9-5 and then 11-8, and I'm guessing not many schools have overcome deficits even that modest to win a set against the Nittany Lions during the 100-match winning streak. But Hawai'i was up to the challenge, getting some big kills from Stephanie Ferrell to erase the deficit. It ws back-and-forth for awhile then, until PSU got kills from Arielle Wilson and Megan Hodge to go up 19-17. Just when you were wondering if the Lions would soon put this set away, the Rainbow Wahine made a statement - running off five straight points (three on kills from different players and two on PSU attack errors) to go up 22-19. Penn State would not get closer than to within two the rest of the way, and Hawai'i won the set by a 25-23 score on a crosscourt kill from the left side by first-team All-American Kanani Danielson.

Hawai'i outhit Penn State .289-.231 in the set, with both Ferrell and Hodge leading all players with six kills each. Amber Kaufman had two aces for the Rainbow Wahine, while Penn State's Alyssa D'Errico had one and a match-high six digs.

The set snapped a streak of 24 straight sets won by Penn State. Although they had lost just five sets all season coming into the match, this is actually the third time PSU has lost the opening set. The Lions rallied to win in in five at Michigan on Oct. 16 and in four at Purdue on Nov. 20.