Penn State began its 2025-2026 season Sunday afternoon in an exhibition game against California University of Pennsylvania.
The Lady Lions dominated this matchup, showcasing their impressive defensive presence, holding the Vulcans to only 24 points in the first half. Penn State won the matchup 114-52 and gave its fans a sneak peek at what is to come this season.
Here are three takeaways from the exhibition game to keep in mind as the season begins.
Merkle in the middle
Throughout the entire matchup, Penn State stuck with a man-to-man style defense, which was successful until Gracie Merkle, a redshirt junior, got subbed out.