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State College, PA -- The LIU Brooklyn volleyball team had their 2016 season come to a close in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday night, as the Blackbirds fell to No. 16 seed Penn State, 3-0 (25-8, 25-16, 25-6).

LIU struggled with hitting as a team, with 25 total errors in the match, and a -.040 attack percentage. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions, who rank fifth in the nation in hitting percentage, hit .403 against the Blackbirds. PSU also out-blocked the Blackbirds 10-2, and had 45 digs to LIU's 29.

The second set was a highlight for the Blackbirds. LIU opened with a block from sophomore Jiayi Zhang and freshman Katharina Krepper, and the Blackbirds stayed close from there. A kill from senior Alex Larsen kept it close, 2-3. Penn State would answer by scoring four straight points to widen the gap to 7-2. The Blackbirds stayed in the set thanks to kills from Zhang and Sonja Vukosavljevic.

A kill from junior Alexandra Lilliquist and a service ace from Larsen were a part of a 3-0 run that helped LIU close the gap to 12-16, but PSU would finish the set on a 4-0 run, including two LIU attack errors to take the set win, 25-16.

The Nittany Lions hit .476 in the third set, opening on a 13-0 run, and eventually took the set win, 25-6, and the match, 3-0. With the victory, Penn State advances to the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they will take on Pittsburgh.

Sophomore Jiayi Zhang led LIU with eight kills, while senior Alex Larsen had a team-high seven digs and four kills. The 2016 Northeast Conference champions finish the season with a 16-15 overall record, 10-4 in NEC action.