Kentucky dominated the fourth and final set against Penn State, winning the set 25-15. Kentucky pulled away mid-set with an 8-0 run to grab a 14-6 lead and never looked back. The decisive kill was a bit of a homecoming for noted Chicago Cubs fan Georgia Watson, a Huntley, Illinois native. Watson had two of the final three UK kills.
With a 3-1 win in Wrigley, Kentucky has now defeated Penn State in consecutive years. Neither game was in Lexington as the Wildcats swept the Nittany Lions in State College in 2025. Overall, Kentucky’s win cuts the all-time series to a 7-3 PSU lead.
Windy City, am I right?😉
22-12, Kentucky | Set 4
📺 FOX
📊 https://t.co/rXCwO59JG8#WeAreUK x #BBN pic.twitter.com/RbiRtI3LiX— Kentucky Volleyball (@KentuckyVB) September 7, 2026
What will this mean for the rankings
Kentucky moved to 2-0 this week after previously winning a nonconference matchup with UCLA on Wednesday. Penn State’s loss was its only game this week, meaning it lost its first ranked matchup of the year. Meanwhile, Kentucky moved to 2-1 against ranked teams, with a pair of wins over Big Ten foes. The Wildcats previously swept then-No. 6 Wisconsin 3-0 at the AVCA First Serve.
The ranked win should allow the third-ranked Wildcats to hold on to its top-five spot, while the loss could bump the Nittany Lions from the top 15.
The Nittany Lions will get a chance to bounce back against a ranked foe in the upcoming week with another neutral site contest. Penn State plays No. 4 Stanford at The Palestra in Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 11.
How did the stars play for the winners
Here’s how Kentucky’s preseason All-SEC women performed in Wrigley.
- Senior outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye
- 21 kills on a .319 hit percentage
- Junior outside hitter Morgan Gaerte
- 15 kills and six blocks on a .344 hit percentage
- Sophomore setter Kassie O’Brien
- 48 assists on a .286 hit percentage
- Senior libero Molly Tuozzo
In the home of the Chicago Cubs, DeLeye, Gaerte and O’Brien all had higher hit percentages that Cubs centerfielder and back-to-back MLB All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong’s .280 batting average.
