It appears as if a state of equilibrium, however brief, has been attained. With players struggling to earn a starting role at two key positions, things looked as if they couldn't get any more ambiguous for the Penn State women's volleyball team. But finally, it looks like at least one aspect of the team's landscape will remain status quo for the time being.

Down on the bayou two weekends ago, when the No. 2 Nittany Lions traveled to the LSU Classic in Baton Rouge, La., things looked slightly different than the current corps practicing in Rec Hall.

Prior to returning to a soggy State College, Penn State head coach Russ Rose tested out his newly acquired talent on the road.

He had the Lions (6-0) running a 6-2 system, which uses two setters. The two-setter system allowed freshmen setters Alisha Glass and Jessica Yanz, both top recruits, to be on the floor at the same time. And it simultaneously allows all six players to act as hitters.

The 6-2 affords more offensive options, which, for a team with as many weapons as Penn State has, seemed practical. But with a setter like Sam Tortorello, a three-time All-American who graduated last year, the Lions never had much need to even consider another setter. Needless to say, the 5-1 has been the formation of choice. Tortorello was able to single-handedly control an offense last season.

Upon returning home this season, the Lions used the 5-1 for all but one game over the weekend. The 5-1, a system employed for last year's team, uses five hitters and one setter. The system favors a solid, experienced setter, like Tortorello, yet neitherGlass or Yanz can be considered experienced at this point, given that they are just six matches into their collegiate careers.

"It's a new experience every day," Yanz said. "Coming in we're all just competing for the same spot. [Rose] is playing around with the lineups a bit."

Implementing a single-setter look has bumped Yanz to the side a bit. Glass, named Michigan's 2005-06 Gatorade High School Player of the Year, is getting the majority of the reps in matches and practice of late.

"I like both [systems]," Glass said. "I think the 5-1 allows for more of a leadership role, but I'm up for whatever gets me out on the court and playing with my teammates."

Rose remained extremely unspecific on the situation, unsure how things will will unfold as the season marches forward.

"Each of them have their strengths," Rose said after Saturday night's match.

"Alisha seems to have a little better tempo right now with the hitters. Yanz has a lot more mileage of being a 5-1 setter. So I think that there will be times throughout the season where I'll have to bounce back and forth, which is not something I normally like to do. But I think that there's just not enough consistency."

As the Lions embarked to Austin yesterday for the Texas Invitational this weekend, it is Glass, who currently leads the team in assists per game (9.47) and total assists (180) while Yanz ranks second in both categories, with 4.57 and 54, respectively. Because Glass has seen more time and has begun to assume a leading role, the demands on her have also increased.

"She's taken the brunt of some serious, hard communications that I'm throwing out there," Rose said. "I'm looking for things that I'm not sure she can offer what I'm looking for. They're some tough requests."