Balza leadsPenn State volleyball to Final Four

Fatima Balza knows what it is like to play in a Final Four having done it twice when she was a member of the Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team.

Now, Balza gets to play in the NCAA Division I Final Four as Penn State will be vying for its third straight NCAA national title. The Nittany Lions swept through regionals with wins over Florida (25-12, 25-18, 25-21) and then California 25-18, 25-17, 25-22 in the regional finals to advance to the National semi-finals. The semi-finals will be held Dec. 17 and 19 in Tampa, Fla.

Penn State, 36-0, will face Hawaii, 31-2, in one of the semi-finals. The other semi-finals will pit Minnesota, 28-8, against Texas, 28-1. Balza said it feels great to be playing in yet another Final Four. Balza helped WNCC win a national title in 2007 and then finish third in 2008.

“Playing in the final four means a lot to me and Its the dream of many volleyball players,” Balza said. “Coming from a Junior College, I feel so lucky to have signed with Penn State. It is amazing to be part of one of the best 4 teams in the country.”

Balza was a major contributor to the Nittany Lions unblemished season this season. In the win over Florida on Friday, Balza led the team in blocks with four. Then, in the regional final against California, the 6-foot-2 middle hitter tallied five blocks to lead the team. Balza also finished with three kills, including hammering home a kill to seal the second set.

The win against California was also Nittany Lions 100^th straight match victory. It also gave head coach Russ Rose his 999^th career win.

“Winning 100 consecutive matches represents the hard work of everyone on the team from the coaches and players,” Balza said. “This program is getting stronger every year. We are now in second place among all sports, either female or male, with wins in a row.”

The Nittany Lions are now two wins from notching their third straight national title. Balza said they need to play with high energy to accomplish that. It will also be Balza’s second national title after winning a national title in junior college in 2007.

“I think the most important key for us to win a national title is work together and keep the energy on the court,” she said. “We have a lot of talent on our team but sometimes we are so casual when we play and that is why other teams get close to us doing games. We need to play together with energy.”

Balza said she has made the transition to Division I volleyball. At first, though, it was difficult. Balza has started several matches for Penn State. She has played in 107 of the 113 sets and has 94 kills and 153 blocks on the season. She is hitting at a 37.9 percent clip.

“It was a surprise to start right away,” she said. “I struggled during the season in some games and I did not get to start. It wasn't an easy path but, nevertheless, I always believe in myself and in my potential as a volleyball player.

“When you play for one of the best teams in the country the effort always has to be good. Being lazy is not an option for anybody on this team. I have put a lot of work into practice. I'm not as physical as some of my teammates, and for this reason I need to work harder.”

Penn State departs for the national semi-finals on Tuesday. The contests will be carried live on ESPN2 as well as ESPN 360 on the Internet. The final will be carried on ESPN2 on Saturday.

“We leave Tuesday after practice and everybody is excited about being in the Final Four,” Balza said.