PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Harvard women's volleyball Harvard (7-15, 6-8 Ivy) closed out its 2025-26 season this evening with a hard-fought victory, defeating Penn, 3-2, in a back-and-forth battle at The Palestra on Saturday evening. The five-set thriller gave Harvard its seventh victory of the campaign and its sixth in Ivy League action.
 

How it Happened

It was neck-and-neck in the early going as Harvard and Penn each went on separate three-point runs in the opening sequence to eventually come into a 14-14 tie in the first set. Penn began to break through late in the set, stringing together seven consecutive points and eventually coming away with a 25-16 first set victory.
 
The second set began similar to the first, with the sides trading points in the early stages of action.
 
Penn grabbed early momentum in the opening frame, building a steady lead and holding on to take the first set, 25-16. Harvard held firm in the early going, knotting the game up at 14-14 before Penn rallied to take the first set.
 
Harvard responded immediately, settling into rhythm in the second set. The Crimson attack clicked with 13 kills, while strong serving runs from Alicia Guo, Hannah Nguyen, and Riley Resmer pushed Harvard in front. A late kill from Brynne Faltinsky sealed a 25-23 win to even the match at 1–1.
 
The Quakers reclaimed the lead in Set 3, using a mid-set surge and several blocks to pull away for a 25-17 decision.
 
Facing pressure, Harvard delivered a commanding performance in the fourth set. The Crimson hit .480 in the frame - its best efficiency of the match - behind timely kills from Sofia Rossi and Ryleigh Patterson, along with aces from Rossi, Resmer, and Nguyen. Harvard controlled the entire set, earning a 25-16 victory to force a decisive fifth.
 
Harvard burst out to a 6-0 lead in the final frame thanks to Resmer's serving, including an ace and multiple Patterson kills. Penn mounted a push, but Harvard held firm, getting key points from Patterson and Rossi to close out the match with a 15-9 win.
 

Harvard Highlights

• Ryleigh Patterson led the way with a dominant outing: 22 kills on a .500 hitting percentage, four digs, and four blocks.
• Sofia Rossi added 20 kills, three aces, and seven digs in a strong two-way performance.
• Sophia Wei directed the offense with 51 assists and 11 digs.
• Riley Resmer contributed eight points, highlighted by three aces, four kills, and two blocks.