No. 12 Penn State women’s volleyball lost to No. 8 Wisconsin 3-0 (20-25, 16-25, 29-31) Friday night in Madison despite a match-high 17 kills from Kash Williams.
The Nittany Lions (12-2, 1-2 Big Ten) lost their second straight conference match after hitting .136 against the Badgers, including a particularly rough first two sets offensively.
Leisa Elisaia and Maddy Bilinovic paced Penn State’s defense with 10 digs apiece. Elisaia (33 assists, five blocks) and Wisconsin’s Sarah Franklin were the only players to record double-doubles.
Williams led a group of six Penn State players who came off the bench against Wisconsin, hitting .419 in the loss. Freshmen Alexa Markley (four kills) and Mandi Morioka (team-high two aces) also stood out among the substitutes.
Wisconsin setter Izzy Ashburn was outstanding from the service line Friday night, tallying all five of her team’s aces. Franklin and Devyn Robinson led the Badgers with 12 kills apiece. Wisconsin hit .370 in the second set and .238 overall.
Allie Holland and Zoe Weatherington had eight kills apiece for the Nittany Lions, who return home to Rec Hall Sunday at 1 p.m. when they face Michigan State (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten) in the program’s annual THON match. The Spartans beat Maryland 3-2 earlier Friday night in College Park.