No. 1 Penn State women’s volleyball swept Illinois for the second time this season Saturday night in Champaign.

Russ Rose’s Nittany Lions improved to 21-1 on the season as three players reached double figures in kills at Huff Hall.

How It Happened

Simone Lee led the way offensively with a match-high 16 kills, matching sophomore outside hitter Jacqueline Quade of Illinois. Haleigh Washington and Heidi Thelen continued their strong play with 10 kills apiece, while Ali Frantti, Abby Detering, and Tori Gorrell tallied five each.

Bryanna Weiskircher and Detering split the workload at setter with 21 and 20 assists, respectively. Kendall White paced Penn State’s defense against the Illini, posting a match-high 13 digs in the victory. The Nittany Lions endured a tough test in the first set, but prevailed 30-28 before rattling off two more wins, 25-11 and 25-15, to finish things up.

Player Of The Match

Simone Lee | Senior | Outside hitter

Lee turned in a balanced performance on both ends of the court, recording 16 kills, six digs, three blocks, a service ace, and an assist.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions travel to East Lansing Wednesday for a 7 p.m. match against No. 10 Michigan State. They topped the Spartans 3-1 earlier this season in Rec Hall.