No 1 Nebraska Sweeps Penn State as Nittany Lions Look Ahead to Iowa
By: Landyn Empet | SportzWire | October 2, 2026 | Photo courtesy Landyn Empet
No. 1 Nebraska made a statement at Rec Hall on Thursday night, sweeping No. 16 Penn State 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-18) in front of 5,450 fans to stay unbeaten on the season. The Cornhuskers improved to 14-0 while the Nittany Lions fell to 9-4 in a match that took 1 hour and 31 minutes to complete.
Penn State head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley saw encouraging stretches in the loss, but her postgame message centered on cleaner play, making better use of the roster and responding quickly with Iowa coming to Rec Hall on Saturday.
“These guys understand the importance of winning but we also need to get better in the gym and play a little bit cleaner on Saturday,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
Nebraska controlled the attack, finishing the match hitting .440 compared to Penn State’s .267. Harper Murray led Nebraska with 17 points on 13 kills, while Andi Jackson delivered 11 kills on just 16 swings for a .625 hitting percentage. Setter Bergen Reilly finished with 34 assists and 15 digs.
Kennedy Martin led Penn State with a match-high 18 kills and 18 points. Whitney Lauenstein added 13 kills and 14 points, while Alexis Stucky recorded 33 assists. Martin and Lauenstein combined for 31 of Penn State’s 43 kills, but Nebraska’s balanced offense and 10-2 advantage in team blocks helped the Cornhuskers finish each set.
The first set established that pattern. Nebraska built an early cushion before Penn State fought back to narrow the deficit to 19-18. The Nittany Lions could not complete the comeback, and Teraya Sigler finished the set 25-20 with a kill while Murray was serving.
Set two remained close through 10-10 before Nebraska pulled away. A Campbell Flynn serving run helped extend the lead, and Manaia Ogbechie teamed with Murray for a block to close the set 25-17.
Penn State opened the third set with a 3-1 lead behind a kill and two service aces from Stucky. After Nebraska answered, the Nittany Lions worked back to a 12-12 tie. The Cornhuskers then scored four straight points with Murray serving, including an ace and a solo block from Jackson. Ryan Hunter eventually delivered the final kill to complete the 25-18 set and the sweep.
Beyond the result, Schumacher-Cawley discussed a defensive adjustment that drew attention during the match: Penn State’s use of two liberos.
“We’re trying to maximize every player we have,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
She explained that the staff wanted to take advantage of different strengths in the back row, pairing defensive ability with passing. Schumacher-Cawley specifically praised Ava Falduto’s passing while describing the decision as an effort to find combinations that could help Penn State score.
“Ava’s a great passer,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “So just trying to use their best skills to help us score points.”
The decision followed work in practice, giving the Nittany Lions an opportunity to test the approach against the nation’s top-ranked team.
“So we tried a little bit in practice and thought tonight would be a good night to try it,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
Her explanation emphasized using the available roster effectively as Penn State continues to work through conference play. She did not announce whether the team would continue using the same approach against Iowa.
Schumacher-Cawley also opened the press conference by recognizing the student section and the atmosphere surrounding the match.
“And I just want to thank the student section,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
The crowd of 5,450 provided a lively setting for the matchup, with both Penn State students and a noticeable Nebraska contingent drawing attention during the postgame questions. Although the Nittany Lions could not turn that home support into a victory, Schumacher-Cawley’s opening acknowledgment made clear that the student turnout was appreciated.
Remaining at home now gives Penn State a chance to respond in familiar surroundings. Asked how she would prepare the team for the rest of the Big Ten schedule, Schumacher-Cawley pointed to the upcoming stretch at Rec Hall and the need to turn practice improvements into wins.
“I’m happy we’re home these next two weeks,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
Penn State fell to 1-2 in conference play with Thursday’s loss. With much of the Big Ten schedule still ahead, Schumacher-Cawley stressed the importance of putting the team in a favorable position for the conference tournament.
“It’s nice to be at home and we have to win some matches,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
The focus remains on the current group. Asked whether last season’s Nebraska matchup shaped her preparation, Schumacher-Cawley emphasized that this team has its own work to do.
“It’s a new team, it’s a new season,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
She acknowledged that Penn State could see Nebraska again in the tournament, but the immediate priority is preparing for its next opponent. When asked about finding value in an early-season loss, Schumacher-Cawley was direct.
“Well I never like to lose,” she said.
Still, she saw moments worth building on and called for players to arrive at practice ready to work, stay alert and focus on the next match.
For Martin, that turnaround begins with recovery. Asked how she would reset before Saturday, she pointed to the staff’s emphasis on taking care of players’ bodies.
“Coach is very big about taking care of our bodies,” Martin said. “My family’s here, so I want to say hi to them and hopefully get to bed.”
Penn State hosts Iowa on Saturday, October 3, at 7 p.m. at Rec Hall. The quick turnaround gives the Nittany Lions an immediate opportunity to respond to their fourth loss of the season.
“We can’t dwell on this, we have to learn from this, we have to move forward and we have to prepare to beat Iowa,” Schumacher-Cawley said.
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