No. 3 Penn State Plays at Northwestern Friday and at No. 7 Wisconsin Saturday on NBCNo. 3 Penn State Plays at Northwestern Friday and at No. 7 Wisconsin Saturday on NBC

No. 3 Penn State Plays at Northwestern Friday and at No. 7 Wisconsin Saturday on NBC

Opens in a new window MATCH NOTES

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- No. 3 Penn State Women's Volleyball looks to stay atop the Big Ten standings as it travels for a pair of conference matches this weekend. The Nittany Lions head to Evanston to take on Northwestern on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, and then make the trip to Madison to play No. 7 Wisconsin on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Saturday's match featuring the nationally-ranked Nittany Lions and Badgers will air on NBC with Paul Sunderland, Holly McPeak, and Heather Cox on the call. It is just the third NCAA Division I women's volleyball match ever to air on the channel.

Penn State enters the matches at 22-1 overall and a perfect 12-0 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions are tied with Nebraska for the conference lead, while 

HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, Nov. 8 – 7 p.m. ET
#3 Penn State (22-1, 12-0 B1G) at Northwestern (4-16, 2-10 B1G) | Live Stats | Watch

Saturday, Nov. 9 – 3:30 p.m. ET
#3 Penn State (22-1, 12-0 B1G) at #7 Wisconsin (16-5, 10-2 B1G) | Live Stats | NBC

OPENING NOTES
• The Nittany Lions enter the match with three separate winning streaks to keep an eye on:
   - Penn State has an 18-match Big Ten regular season win streak, which ranks as the longest active streak in the 
conference. Their last regular season loss in conference play came to Purdue on Nov. 5, 2023.
   - While not applicable to this weekend, it's noteworthy that Penn State has won 18 straight matches at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions’ last home loss also came to Purdue on Nov. 5, 2023.
   - Penn State has won 14 straight matches this season, which ranks as the fifth-longest active streak in the nation behind Southeastern Louisiana (21), Nebraska (20), Western Kentucky (17), and Dayton (17).

SERIES HISTORY - NORTHWESTERN
• Penn State is 58-9 in the all-time series with Northwestern. The teams first played in 1981.
• The Nittany Lions have won 11 straight matches over the Wildcats, with the last loss coming in 2015. They have won 35 of the past 36 meetings.
• Penn State is 28-5 against Northwestern in road matches.
• Jess Mruzik has hit .359 while averaging 4.56 kills/set and 1.78 digs/set in five career matches against Northwestern.

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
• Northwestern is 4-16 overall and 2-10 in the Big Ten following five straight losses to UCLA (3-0), No. 15 Minnesota (3-0), Indiana (3-0), Illinois (3-1), and No. 2 Nebraska (3-1).
• The Wildcats were picked 16th in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll. They are in their first season under head coach Tim Nollan.
• Northwestern has Big Ten wins over Maryland and Iowa this season.

SERIES HISTORY - WISCONSIN
• Penn State is 50-15 in the all-time series with Wisconsin. The teams first played in 1986.
• The Nittany Lions are 19-12 against the Badgers in Madison. 

SCOUTING WISCONSIN
• Wisconsin is ranked seventh in the AVCA Coaches Poll and is 16-5 overall and 10-2 in the Big Ten following a sweep of Illinois in its most recent match.
• The Badgers were picked second in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll. Junior middle blocker Carter Booth, senior outside hitter Sarah Franklin, and senior middle blocker/opposite Anna Smrek were all named Preseason All-Big Ten.
• Franklin is the reigning AVCA National Player of the Year.

STREAKS TO WATCH
Gillian Grimes
· 11 straight matches with double-digit digs

Camryn Hannah
· 5 straight matches with double-digit kills

Jess Mruzik
· 14 straight matches with double-digit kills

Team
· 14 straight wins
· 16 straight wins at Rec Hall
· 18 straight Big Ten regular season wins

22-1 START
• Penn State’s 21-1 record is the program’s best record through 22 matches since also starting 20-1 in 2017.
• The 2017 team went on to finish 33-2 and avanced to the NCAA National Semifinal match.

UP NEXT
• Penn State returns to Happy Valley for a match against Illinois on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.