The 2024 NCAA Championship semifinal match between Nebraska and Penn State was one for the ages. After losing the BIG10 title match against the Nittany Lions, the Huskers looked poised to avenge their loss, especially after the first two sets. As the Huskers surged to the 2-0 lead, it seemed that ex-Husker Caroline Jurevicius and the rest of her team would have no answer.

However, just as things looked like they would fall apart, coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley pulled the team aside for a word. However, instead of giving them a lengthy pep talk, Schumacher-Cawley simply expressed pride in every member of her team. And while that is exactly what they needed to calm down and refocus, Jurevicius explained just how nervous they got during those disastrous two sets.

Penn State struggled to initiate Plan B after a poor start

As an outside hitter, the 20-year-old’s play style is aggressive, and she knows the importance of taking the lead. That’s what they had done during the Big10 title match, snapping the Huskers record of winning 27 straight sets on the road. “It’s important to take the first set because it sort of solidifies that it’s possible… Now it’s just a matter of finishing rather than starting late,” said Caroline Jurevicius.

However, things didn’t go as planned at the KFC Yum! Center. Instead, Nebraska held Penn State at bay, picking up two sets back-to-back. “I had to watch my 5-foot-6 roommate (Jocelyn Nathan) play front row, and then our 5-foot-9 DS (Quinn Menger) had to play middle. It was kind of terrifying because you feel like you don’t have control.” Jurevicius told The News-Herald.

“Something out of the ordinary is happening. I was panicking a little bit,” said the ex-Nebraska Huskers freshman. It was showing in the Nittany Lion’s performance too. Thankfully, Coach Schumacher-Cawley stepped in at just the right time. “We got to the locker room between sets; we had a little grounding talk and deep breaths,” said Caroline Jurevicius.

What followed was one of the grittiest performances in front of a record-breaking NCAA semifinal crowd in Kentucky. From being down 2 sets, Penn State stunned the Huskers with a reverse sweep victory. After losing their initial advantage, the Huskers couldn’t bounce back, and Jurevicius came full circle.

The incredible success of Caroline Jurevicius

Beating her old team twice in a single season in the BIG10 title match and the NCAA semifinals has been nothing short of monumental for the outside hitter. It was only last year that the redshirt freshman at Nebraska showed sparks of brilliance in the 13 games she played for Big Red. However, for a split second, her future seemed a little murky as Jurevicius entered the transfer portal.

However, transferring to Penn State has been nothing short of a blessing for Caroline Jurevicius. While she’s still red-shirting for the Nittany Lions, the 20-year-old has been an integral part of the squad. And what better proof of a player’s worth than helping her university add the eighth national title to its trophy cabinet? “It was one of the greatest experiences for me,” said the hitter.

The volleyball star recalled helplessly watching her team, the Nebraska Huskers, lose the national title against the Texas Longhorns. “Last year it was completely different, and I was watching us lose a national title on the sideline,” revealed Jurevicius. However, this year, she wasn’t on the sidelines and contributed every last ounce of her energy to Penn State’s success.

“I had control and contributed to helping the girls as much as they had helped me,” said the outside hitter. Luckily for the Penn State freshman, she’ll have the opportunity to contribute for years to come, as the 20-year-old has spent only two seasons at the collegiate level. Will Caroline Jurevicius add even more NCAA titles to her name? Tell us what you think in the comments.