32 wins in a season! 25 victories at a stretch! Creighton volleyball had too many numbers to maintain on Sunday. It had another milestone to touch on the same day. Just a victory over Penn State volleyball would have opened the gate for it to enter the semifinals. The task, however, had a zero chance of being a smooth sail. After all, the battle was set to be against the No. 1 seed. Ultimately, a neck-to-neck fight failed to give Creighton an edge on its opponent on December 15. A 3-2 defeat surely stands to be tough to digest. But it was enough to stop the Bluejays’ phenomenal run this season and make their coach emotional. 

Yes, Creighton volleyball’s wall had been breached on Sunday. The squad had to accept defeat after winning 25 matches in a row. Ultimately, they stopped at 32-3, the most wins for them in one season. Another victory would have reached them 33-2, the number Penn State volleyball is residing at now. But overpowering the Nittany Lions on their home turf has always been a staggering job. It may need full support from the audience, as on Sunday, the PSU fans’ pitching for their favorite team acted as the extra hand. Creighton’s coach, however, had nothing to say about that. Instead, the long-time coach cried over the missed chance to continue the NCAA history for the program.

Creighton volleyball’s defeat makes the veteran coach emotional 

The Sunday game was hyped for so many reasons. It had two top-notch teams locking horns against each other. Moreover, two camps had two female head coaches to set up the game. Penn State had Katie Schumacher-Cawley. Creighton Volleyball, on the other hand, had Kirsten Bernthal Booth. So a result would send a female coach to the Final Four. However, in the lineup, Dani Bushboom Kelly is already waiting. Altogether, the match had so many records in the book. So a defeat in such a game was bound to take an emotional toll on the losing side. In the post-match press conference, Kirsten Bernthal Booth seemed to come under the emotional weight. The overwhelming sadness led her to say, “This hurts. You know, this isn’t where our journey was supposed to end.” She had Kendra Wait by her side. She also looked to share a similar emotion. 

Didn’t they have plenty of reasons to have such a feeling? Their stats may make this season one of the best in the Bluejays’ history. How? This was the second time Creighton volleyball reached the Elite Eight in its long history. Moreover, the program’s win in the second set of the game proved to be a milestone. It was the first time the Bluejays earned a set in an Elite Eight game. However, against the Nittany Lions, they extended their run by taking up two sets. So everything went seamlessly for Bernthal Booth until the last set for Sunday’s game. Penn State Volleyball’s brave attempts thwarted every chance made by the Bluejays. In the end, the loss found its way into Creighton’s book. The coach, however, had a few more things to add. 

Kirsten Bernthal Booth pats on players’ backs. 

The Sunday game put a stop to Kirsten Bernthal Booth’s team’s fabled journey this season. They will have to look forward to another fresh season. But before moving to that stage, the coach had a few more words to share. In the press conference, she said, “I’m proud of this group. I’m proud of who they are off the court as much as I’m proud of who they are on the court. The love that they have amongst each other is pretty remarkable. And I’m grateful that we had this journey.” In the 22nd year of her tenure in Creighton volleyball, she now has a huge thing to celebrate. She has a team where everyone shares their duties and emotions. An example came out in the same press conference. 

The senior setter, Kendra Wait, attended the press conference to reply to the questions. She eventually came forward to speak about her volleyball mates. In the press conference, she said, “You know, we fought our hearts out on that court. We battled, and there’s no other group of women I would want to go out there and battle with.” In the NCAA volleyball championship, Creighton volleyball lost the fight and left the contest. But the squad had the bonding as the gift taken from the event.