This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Oklahoma City • The BYU women's volleyball team, unseeded, unheralded and under-appreciated, fell one victory short of the program's first national championship, losing in the title match to Penn State, 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-14).

BYU (31-5) was the first unseeded team in the NCAA tournament's 34-year history to reach the championship match. After being snubbed when the NCAA selected its top 16 seeds, the Cougars marched to win five straight road playoff matches before losing to their NCAA nemesis, the Nittany Lions, who previously beat BYU in the 1993 Final Four and twice in the Elite Eight.

"They played really well," said BYU head coach Shawn Olmstead of Penn State. "But our kids poured their hearts out. They didn't back down, they didn't run away. Penn State has done an unbelievable job. (Penn State head coach) Russ (Rose) will go down as maybe the best volleyball coach."

For much of the match, Olmstead and his players kept pace. In the first set, Penn State used an 8-2 run to build an 11-8 lead. But the Cougars' passers found their rhythm, allowing freshman setter Alohi Robins-Hardy to find sophomore middle Amy Boswell for several quick kills.

Penn State's Aiyana Whitney found her groove, however, allowing the Nittany Lions to trade points the rest of the way for a 25-21 set victory.

The match was billed as David versus Goliath, even though the Nittany Lion Goliath was shorter than the Cougars' David. Penn State senior Micha Hancock, the National Player of the Year, said the PSU game plan was to set the ball as much as possible on the right side, away from the imposing block of BYU All-American Jennifer Hamson.

"For the most part, they were going the other way," Olmstead said. "That's a great strategy. We moved our defenders a little, but they adjusted."

The second set was a nailbiter. With the score tied at 20, Alexa Gray split the block with an offspeed cross for a kill. Tied again at 22, Jennifer Hamson's attack was long, but the Cougars refused to fold. A Tabre Nobles kill tied it at 23, A great Ciara Parker pass set up a Boswell quick and tied it at 24. But a Hanson serve sailed long, and a Penn State double block sealed the second set, 26-24.

In the third set, PSU's Hancock connected on her first ace, and led a five-point service run. Hancock, playing the final match of her career in her home state, was a steadying influence in the decisive 25-14 third set.

"She's an unbelievable player," said Olmstead. "She's the Player of the Year and deserves all that recognition."

Hamson, also in the final match of her storied career, was asked to carry the bulk of the offense. Her 42 swings produced 14 kills and 11 errors (.071). When asked if his star player had run out of gas, Olmstead responded with an emphatic "No."

"Absolutely not, no way." Olmstead said. "She made bad plays there at the end that she wishes she could have back, but some of those were so out of system, anybody would have hit those out of bounds.

"But run out of gas? No, that kid would lace them up right now if you asked her to."

Olmstead, who has charmed the volleyball world in Oklahoma City, shared what he said to his players in the locker room after the match.

"I told them, I don't believe you failed, you're a failure. A lot of people are going to say that. And I could give a rat's ass about that.

"But the deal is, these kids didn't fail. They competed. They're going to grow from this experience, and they're going to be better because of it."

Olmstead admitted he tried to keep his team loose throughout the Tournament, including his decision to grow what he calls "a stupid mustache." Now that the season has ended, will the 'stache stay?

"I don't know," he said in the crowded press room. "My wife's back there. Ask her. Whatever she wants me to do. Do you want me to shave it?"

The Olmsteads caught each other's eye. "Yes," he said, "I'll shave it." —

Penn State 3, BYU 0

R Penn State wins the national title for the sixth time in eight years.

• Penn State's Megan Courtney is named Final Four Most Valuable Player.

• BYU's Jennifer Hamson and Alexa Gray are both named to the All-Tournament Team.