Opening weekend left no doubt: NCAA volleyball is back. Well start off with a very noteworthy upset, and then work our way through other highlights of the first weekend of play.1. Tar Heel triumphThese things just dont happen to Penn State in volleyball. The Nittany Lions very rarely lose at home, and almost never to a non-conference opponent. They also dont let matches get away when theyve all but got a victory nailed down.But thats what makes sports endlessly fascinating, right? Seven-time NCAA champion Penn State was on the verge of closing out North Carolina in four sets Saturday. But trailing 23-18, the Tar Heels rallied for seven consecutive points to take the set. Then they won the fifth set 15-9, and won the Penn State Classic. Talk about a trophy that never expected to take an airplane trip.How unusual was this? It was just the 15th time -- ever -- that a non-conference volleyball opponent has won at Penn States Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions are now 316-15 in non-league matches there, and 580-34 overall.If anyone knew the historical significance, it was Tar Heels coach Joe Sagula, in his 27th year at North Carolina.This is going to be one that we will remember for a long time, Sagula said.The Tar Heels, whove won 12 ACC titles (most recently in 2014), were picked to win the league this year. Theyve consistently been a good program, albeit one with a losing overall record, 13-17, in the NCAA tournament. They had a tough end to last season, losing at home to Creighton in the NCAAs second round.But with four starters and their libero back, they had high hopes this season, and it couldnt have begun any better. North Carolina got 18 kills from sophomore Taylor Leath, who is from the State College, Pennsylvania, area and grew up watching the Nittany Lions. (By the way, shes also one of four players on the Tar Heels roster with the first name of Taylor. They must use nicknames a lot with this squad.).UNC freshman Julia Scoles made a great college debut, winning tournament MVP honors by compiling 30 kills and 33 digs in the Tar Heels three victories in State College. They swept Georgia Southern and West Virginia in their first two matches. North Carolina is now No. 12 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, with Penn State at No. 13.Next up for North Carolina? Just a friendly neighborhood matchup Thursday with archrival Duke (6:30 p.m. ET, Watch ESPN.)The loss will no doubt motivate Penn State, which faces Colorado and Stanford this weekend in the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge in Boulder, Colorado.2. USC goes 0-3Speaking of the Pac-12, traditional conference power Southern Cal had a very rough start. The Trojans, who were tied for seventh with Washington in the preseason poll, lost to Marquette, Santa Clara and UC Irvine at home in the Galen Center. That sent the Trojans plummeting out of the this weeks rankings.USC lost national player of the year Samantha Bricio to graduation, so it was expected there would be some growing pains. But its doubtful anyone figured USC would open like this. The Trojans will try to get on track with another tournament at home this weekend, but the competition is challenging. They take on No. 23 Kentucky, Northern Iowa, and No. 22 Creighton.3. Huskers solidify No. 1In the VERT Challenge in Eugene, Oregon, last weekend, top-ranked Nebraska opened with a 3-1 victory against Florida and a sweep of Texas. Nebraska-Texas was a rematch of last seasons NCAA final and a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2. And it wasnt very close. The Huskers prevailed 25-15, 25-16, 25-21, led by a combined 21 kills from the Rolfzen twins, Kadie and Amber.However, Texas did start with a 3-1 victory against Oregon. The Longhorns lost three key seniors from last year, and they wont have middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, who is taking the season off to focus on academics. It may take a little while for Texas, now ranked No. 3, to really develop its chemistry.4. Hawaii looking to youngstersHawaii, which fell from No. 6 to No. 15, is still without All-American senior star Nikki Taylor, who is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. The Rainbow Wahine lost their opening matches to visiting Wisconsin and Kansas State, and then trailed Arizona 2-0. But behind sophomore outside hitter McKenna Granatos career-high 33 kills, Hawaii rallied to win 3-2. And perhaps more unusual than North Carolina having four Taylors is Hawaii having two McKennas. The other is freshman defensive specialist McKenna Ross.5. Keep an eye on ... WisconsinThe Badgers moved up to No. 2 in the rankings after three victories in Hawaiis tournament, and the rest of their non-conference schedule is also extremely challenging. Friday, theyll take on San Diego (which beat Stanford last Friday). Then Wisconsin also has matches on the road against North Carolina, Louisville, Texas A&M and Texas before starting the grind of Big Ten play. Nobodys going to question the Badgers strength of schedule, thats for sure. Cheap Jordans Ireland . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Air Jordan 6 Ireland Online .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. http://www.airjordan6ireland.com/ .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. Air Jordan 6 Ireland .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Cheap Air Jordan 6 For Sale . Pert has formerly spent time as an assistant coach with Cardiff City, Coventry City, and Bahrain mens national team. "Martyn is a highly-respected coach with experience at the top levels in England," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- After shuffling players on and off the court all night, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon noticed that he had four freshmen in the game with the outcome hanging in the balance.I was like, `Dang, I must really believe in this group, Turgeon said. But the guys who finished the game I thought were playing the best.Melo Trimble scored 22 points, freshman Anthony Cowan added 12 and No. 25 Maryland used a late salvo to slip past American 62-56 on Friday night.After losing four starters from a squad that reached the Sweet 16, the Terrapins opened a new season with a decidedly new look. Turgeon has a 16-man roster containing nine freshmen, and he spent much of the game looking for the right combination.He expects the procedure to continue for quite a while.Were a definite work in progress, Turgeon said. But its exciting. I just think were going to be a heck of a team before its all said and done. Were just trying to figure it out.American led 47-43 with 7:34 remaining before Maryland finally played to form. Trimble -- the lone returning starter -- made two baskets in the lane to spark a 7-0 run.After Charlie Jones scored for the Eagles, L.G. Gill made two free throws and freshman Kevin Huerter buried a 3-pointer from the left side for a 55-49 lead.AU closed to 57-54 before Trimble made a driving layup with just over a minute left.Day to day, I dont know who my best players are, Turgeon said. I know Melos my best player but (beyond that), from day to day I dont know. The good thing is I have choices. In the end, we figured it out.Mark Gasperini scored 14 points for the Eagles, who finished 12-19 last season and are picked to finish in the middle of the Patriot League. On this night, however, AU gave Maryland all it could handle in a duel between Washington area teams.The Eagles were outrebounded 44-22 and outscored at the free throw line 18-4.Theyyre a terrific team, and for us to be able to hang in there is an accomplishment, coach Mike Brennan said.ddddddddddddTurgeon started two freshmen, Cowan and Huerter. The lone senior in the starting lineup was 6-foot-11 center Damonte Dodd, who had two fouls in his 2 minutes of playing time in the first half.Trimble had 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting to stake the Terrapins to a 31-25 halftime lead.Maryland led 16-11 before the Eagles got eight points from Leon Tolksdorf in a 12-2 run.After Turgeon called a timeout, the Terps rattled off 10 straight points. Cowan started the surge with a 3-pointer, two free throws and a three-point play.BIG PICTUREAmerican: Playing this well against a Big Ten contender should serve as confidence boost for the Eagles when they go up against Patriot League foes.Maryland: The youthful Terrapins got their season off to a rocky start. Turgeon got 10 players involved in the first half, putting a priority on spreading the minutes. Games like this should ultimately help him determine a rotation for the tougher matchups that loom ahead.POLL IMPLICATIONSMaryland should stay in the Top 25 through the weekend, but at this juncture Turgeon isnt too concerned.Just because people have got us ranked, we dont know who we are, he said. Its OK to have a tough game. And in the end were going to learn a lot more from it. Were going to be a better team because it was a close game.UP NEXTAmerican: Another road trip against strong opposition looms for the Eagles, who face Texas A&M on Monday night.Maryland: The Terrapins get an early season test Tuesday night against Georgetown at Verizon Center in Washington. Maryland squeezed past Hoyas 75-71 last season.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '