After an undefeated weekend in Rec Hall that included a sweep of No. 7 Wisconsin and a 3-1 victory over Northwestern, Penn State women’s volleyball is on a three-game win streak.

The reigning national champions began the season with a 4-4 record, but have since climbed to 10-6.

Head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley believes her team has turned a corner.

“They’re putting in the work and the effort to do extra things to help themselves be better. Every match will be a challenge for us, but if we prepare the right way, we put ourselves in the best position.”

This weekend’s trip to the West Coast is only Penn State’s second and third away game of the season and serves as a major opportunity for the Nittany Lions to stack another pair of conference wins.

“We’re looking forward to getting on the road and seeing what we can do on the West Coast,” Schumacher-Cawley said Tuesday during her weekly media availability.

Penn State kicks off its second straight back-to-back against Washington on Friday, October 18, at 10 p.m. ET. There will be a familiar face on the other side of the net in Alexa Markley, who transferred from Penn State after the 2024 season.

“[Washington] is doing some really nice things right now. Alexa is playing well, and I think it will be a great challenge for us,” said Schumacher-Cawley of the matchup and facing a former player.

She added, “I know [Alexa’s] game pretty well, but she’s gotten better. She was playing on the left side, now she’s playing on the right side. I think she’s done really well for herself, and she’s a big scorer for them. We’ll have to handle the ball on our side and play well.”

On Saturday, the blue and white head south to Eugene, Oregon, for a matchup against the Ducks.

Schumacher-Cawley emphasized the importance of being prepared for an Oregon team mainly composed of new pieces, saying, “They play really hard, and regardless of what their record is, I know they’ll be prepared for us. We need to compete hard and take care of the ball on our side of the net. It’ll be a long trip out there, but we need to be focused and ready to go.”

The team departed for the 2000+ mile trip on Wednesday, allowing players and coaches ample time to acclimate.

“Thursday, we’ll get up, practice, and get moving for our regular practice before a match. But I think it’s important that we get out there and get situated and get some rest. I know the team is looking forward to it,” Schumacher-Cawley said.

While back-to-back games and a coast-to-coast flight aren’t an ideal combination, Schumacher-Cawley says it’s essential for her team to be resilient throughout their schedule.

“How we prepare during the week, getting enough sleep, doing the right things in practice, using our time wisely, really helps the back-to-backs. This is a really, really tough conference, and you have to be able to compete back-to-back to be at the top. It will be a great challenge for us, but one we can handle.”

According to the coach, setter Addie Lyon is one of the program’s best at off-court preparation.

“I’m so proud of Addie. I think she’s a great teammate. She works really hard, and she is really improving and just feeling comfortable in her position right now. She’s a great representative of the program,” said Schumacher-Cawley of the graduate student.

The starting setter expressed that same sense of improvement during her media availability on Tuesday. Lyon highlighted a refined serving ability and increased connection with her middle blockers as key areas of growth midway through the season.

When asked about the visit to the West Coast, Lyon shared that she has never been to Washington, but has family in the Northwest area.

“I’m excited to see them and enjoy some time with them,” she said.

Schumacher-Cawley hopes that excitement carries over to the court, emphasizing the importance of starting fast and scoring points early on.

“I think when we’re aggressive, both on the serving line and defensively, that we can win some matches. Just keeping that mindset and making sure everyone is ready to go. It may take different people to win different matches, so we’re gonna need every single person to be involved,” she said.

Both the Washington and Oregon matches will be streamed on the Big Ten Network.