What had become an annual trip became unattainable for this year's Penn State women's volleyball team. This season, the Nittany Lions fell short of making it back to the Final Four for the first time in four years.

Penn State dropped its fifth and final match of the season to USC in three games in the Elite Eight on Dec. 10. The loss sent the defending NCAA champions home a weekend before they had hoped.

"We got outplayed and out-blocked," Penn State women's volleyball coach Russ Rose said. "USC came out there and was motivated and excited to get to the Final Four.

"Our players played like it should have been handed to them and as we learned, that is not the case."

The Lions struggled much of the season with finding the right chemistry and balance on the floor.

"During one point in the match, I looked down at our bench and asked if anyone could pass," Rose said.

As frustration set in throughout the match, so did the Lions fate, which left USC advancing to another round and Penn State on a plane back to State College.

Despite the Lions loss in the Elite Eight, Penn State did not label this season a disappointment.

"We played really hard, and they rallied from behind a lot this season," Rose said.

"It's just when you set the bar at winning a national championship or getting back to the Final Four, people expect it every year and it just didn't happen this season."

While not making it to the Final Four this year hurts, the core of the Lions return next season. Amanda Rome, Katie Schumacher and Nadia Edwards will be seniors and are expected to lead the young but experienced squad.

While the ride to the top is never easy and getting back to the top is often considerably harder, Penn State will have to overcome its battles against themselves for them to be successful next year.

"They need to play better as team and they had a hard time doing that all season," Penn State graduate assistant Bonnie Bremner said.

"Even though they're young, if they expect to play for a championship next season, they all have to get a better understanding of the game and be more committed."

Freshmen Jessica Hayden and Cara Smith will enter their sophomore season with expectations of starting full time for the Lions next season. The talented duo saw a great deal of action this season.

"Cara did an excellent job this year," Rose said.

"Replacing the best player in the country is nearly impossible to do, but she handled the pressure and played well for us this season."

Unlike previous years, the Lions did not use one setter. Both Shannon Bortner and Hayden shared that role. While both had success at times, it is highly unlikely that Rose will stick to that method next season. It appears that if Hayden has a solid spring, she will be ahead of Bortner come August.

"Jess is a fighter and she is a hard worker that knows what to do," Rose said.

"Shannon, on the other hand, has a great time playing volleyball and loves the sport. She always wants to be out there and I know whether she's setting or not we will always have a place for her on the court."

Despite being young, the Lions have experienced, for the first time, what it's like not to win.

Perhaps this will and prove just how much motivation they need to be successful come August.