Huskies Leave Rec Hall Wanting

Sunday, October 11

University Park, Pa.

9:00 AM

University of Washington

13-2,4-2Big Ten

Penn State

12-4,4-2Big Ten

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Washington	14	19	23	0
Penn St.	25	25	25	3

October 11, 2026 | Volleyball

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By: UW Athletic Communications

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The 20th-ranked Husky volleyball team suffered its second loss of the season and first on the road today, suffering from slow starts throughout the battle with 18th-ranked Penn State in Rec Hall. The Huskies (13-2, 4-2 Big Ten) tightened things up at points and were playing their best late in set three, but were unable to extend things, falling 25-14, 25-19, 25-23 to the Nittany Lions (12-4, 4-2 Big Ten).

Washington had its lowest attack percentage of the season at just .113, and Penn State's .235 mark was the highest that the stingy UW defense has allowed. Washington missed five serves and got aced three times in a rough first set, but only allowed two aces and missed just three serves over the next two sets. But the offense never really found its rhythm as UW finished with just 29 kills compared to 46 for Penn State.

The Dawgs had strong blocking to win a lot of key rallies and keep themselves in touch, finishing with a 10.0 to 8.0 edge in blocks. First-year Hayden Conner provided a spark off the bench as she had five blocks all in set two.

Simona Mateska had nine kills and seven digs. Julia Hunt got going midway through set two, and had five kills hitting .333, all coming late in set two and in set three. Maija Howse had six kills and five blocks. Andrea Fabikovicova had 19 assists and 10 digs, Kylie Kleckner had five kills and 11 digs, and Kaitlyn Nguyen had 11 digs and an ace.

The Huskies fought their hardest to rally for a set three win that could have swung the momentum, seven times pulling within one point late in the set. UW trailed 1-6 early and 11-15 at the media timeout, but the Dawgs closed to within 14-15 and then went back and forth trading sideouts all the way to 20-21, but UW was never able to tie it up. Penn State got to match point at 24-21. Washington saved two but after a PSU timeout at 24-23, the Nittany Lions got a block of Mateska to end it.

Up Next: Washington comes home next week to host Rutgers on Friday, Oct. 16, and then hosts 15th-ranked Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 18.

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