This weekend, Iowa volleyball will be pitted in a quintessential underdog matchup. No. 7 ranked Penn State will come to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to take on the unranked Hawkeyes.

“Our fans really enjoy watching us play,” head coach Vicki Brown said. “I think with that excitement and a ranked opponent coming in, we’re expecting more support this weekend. Our team always feeds its swag. When they’re hearing the fans cheer, it gets them going.”

In 54 attempts, Iowa has never defeated Penn State. On Friday night, the Hawkeyes will have a chance to earn that coveted first win over the Nittany Lions.

“I think Penn State wants to beat us,” freshman Edina Schmidt said. “I think we did a very good job at practice to get confident. We are able to play against this team and be at a good level with it.”

Penn State currently boasts a 9-1 conference record and a 16-3 record overall. The Nittany Lions’ only loss of the conference season came on the road against now-fourth ranked Wisconsin.

Beating a team with national championship prowess is never easy. It takes a tactical game plan that is flawlessly executed by great players.

“I think it’s just about being more disciplined on defense,” Brown said. “They’re a decent blocking and defensive team. Not only do we have to move the ball around, but we also have to be ready for it taking more than our first swing to earn a point.”

Penn State is not the only team storming into Iowa City this weekend. Rutgers will also come to town on Saturday looking to turn its season around.

Rutgers is currently 7-14 overall and 1-9 in conference. They earned their first victory of the conference season against Northwestern on Sunday.

RELATED: Volleyball splits road series in Indiana

“You can’t count them out,” sophomore Amiya Jones said. “They just beat Northwestern, so they’re going to be just as much competition. We need to make sure that we go into that game knowing that we have to beat them. They’re not just some team that’s not as good as their [past might indicate]. They’re working hard. They’re a great team, too.”

Winning two games in a row over a weekend is never easy. For the Hawkeyes, this week is no exception. Iowa is trying to beat two Big Ten adversaries in the midst of a lineup retooling.

Sophomore Courtney Buzzerio has found a new role amid the change. She seems to be moving into the setter spot for Iowa. Last weekend, Buzzerio recorded an impressive 51 assists against Indiana from the setter position.

“Courtney has played many positions throughout her career,” Brown said. “The one she stepped into for us was one of familiarity from her club years. Even last year she was mostly setting for us in the fall. The change wasn’t completely foreign. Every time we offer Courtney to step up in a different role, she’s done so. I’m really proud of her, and I’m looking forward to what she does next.”

With the switch, Iowa loses its focal point on the attack. Buzzerio leads the team with 232 kills. Expect Griere Hughes to step up and fill Buzzerio’s spot for the Hawkeyes.

The odds certainly appear to be stacked against the Hawkeyes this weekend. Remember, an underdog is most potent when you least expect it to bite.