Andrew Linnehan

Women’s Volleyball

Senior Megan Hodge, who's been at State College for all of Penn State's 88 consecutive victories, unleashed 19 kills on the Gophers Friday night.

It was set up perfectly to be really anti-climactic. The Penn State women’s volleyball team, looking to tie UCLA men’s basketball for the fourth longest winning streak in NCAA sports history, stared into the eyes of a hungry and talented 7th-ranked Minnesota squad in Rec Hall on Friday night.

A perfect setup for a spoiler on Halloween’s eve, right? Wrong. The #1-ranked Nits spat on the Gophers, sweeping Minnesota in straight sets (25-14, 25-16, 25-17) to tie John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins’ basketball teams from 1971-1974 for the fourth longest winning streak in collegiate sports history. The streak, now sitting at 88 games without a loss, is only four away from tying UNC women’s soccer in the early 90’s for second on the list. To attain the all-time record, however, the Nits still have some work to do. Miami’s men’s tennis team rattled off 137 straight wins from 1957-1964.

Megan Hodge had a game-high 19 kills and freshman Darcy Dorton — who’s only been in State College for 24 of the 88 wins — had 8 kills at a ridiculous .636 clip to lead PSU past Minnesota in a 1 vs. 2 Big Ten battle.

Penn State, which has won the last two national championships, next plays in Madison, Wis., next Friday at 7 p.m.

NCAA All-Time Division I Consecutive Victories

1. 137, Miami (FL) men’s tennis, 1957-64

2. 92, North Carolina women’s soccer, 1990-94

3. 89, Stanford women’s tennis, 2003-07

4. 88, Penn State women’s volleyball, 2007-present

4. 88, UCLA men’s basketball, 1971-74