Heading into Ann Arbor Saturday night, the No.1 Penn State volleyball team hadn't lost a single set in its 31 matches.

The Nittany Lions had been ranked in the top 25 for 331 consecutive weeks, and hadn't lost to Michigan since 2002.

But Michigan wasn't scared before its last match of the regular season.

“Our team knows they're good and we respect them,” Michigan coach Mark Rosen said Friday night. “I don't think we fear them, although we know it will be like climbing Mt. Everest. It’s a big challenge for our group, but I think our team is excited to climb Mt. Everest.”

In front of a sellout crowd at Cliff Keen Arena, the Wolverines climbed the mountain but were unable to reach the summit as the Nittany Lions (20-0 Big Ten, 32-0 overall) knocked off Michigan in three straight sets (25-22, 25-18, 25-13).

“We played very, very well,” Rosen said. “If we were tentative or if we played passively, that was going to be frustrating for me. We played aggressive and I was proud of that.”

Despite the Wolverines’ aggressive play, Penn State’s tenacious defense and multiple offensive schemes allowed the Nittany Lions to control most of the match.

Every time Michigan adjusted to the Nittany Lions' offense, Penn State would change the positioning of its players to confuse the Wolverines.

In the first set, Michigan (12-8, 24-8) successfully fought off Penn State's attack. The Nittany Lions placed their hitters on the wide sides of the court and ran their offense from the sidelines.

Rosen and the Wolverines adjusted, keeping the first set close. The score was knotted at 16, until the Nittany Lions went on a 7-3 run and eventually won the set, 25-22.

For the rest of the match, Penn State constantly shifted its strategy.

“In set two, they started bringing everyone in towards the center of the court,” Rosen said. “That changed the tempo of the game and we had to adjust to that. Then, the next thing you know, they are setting everybody out of the back row.”

The Nittany Lions had an attack percentage of .471, demonstrating why they are No. 1 in the Big Ten in offensive production.

While the Wolverines had to fight Penn State’s powerful attack, Michigan’s offense struggled to adjust to the Nittany Lions’ defense.

Penn State has five players on its roster that are at least 6-feet-3 inches tall. The Wolverines start just one player, redshirt freshman Karlee Bruck, who is that height.

The height advantage, along with Penn State’s physical defense, helped the Nittany Lions register seven blocks on the night and many touches that prevented potential Michigan kills.

Every time a Wolverine hitter went up for a kill, there were two Nittany Lion blockers staring her straight in the face, one reason why Penn State leads the Big Ten more than three blocks per set.

The Wolverines hit a mediocre .144 from the court.

The Nittany Lions did not spoil the entire weekend for the Wolverines. On Friday, Michigan celebrated Senior Night by beating Indiana in three sets (26-24, 25-18, 25-20). After the match, Kerry Hance and Beth Karpiak were both recognized with a video tribute to their careers.

But Michigan hopes the match against Penn State will give them some added confidence as they get ready for the post-season next weekend.

“Playing competition as good as Penn State is always great for our team,” Karpiak said. “This is a great stepping stone for the (NCAA) tournament.”