mark stewart
·4 min read
MADISON - Wednesday the Wisconsin Badgers volleyball team beat the nation’s No. 1 team. Saturday, it got a bit of revenge
The Badgers, who knocked off top-ranked Nebraska on Wednesday, scored a 3-1 win over Minnesota in front of an announced crowd of 7,229 at the UW Field House to avenge a straight-set loss to the Gophers last month and maintain a hold on first place in the Big Ten.
The 25-20, 25-20, 16-25, 25-23 victory was fifth-ranked Wisconsin’s 10th straight win. The last three have come against ranked opponents. Minnesota (13-7, 8-4 Big Ten) is ranked ninth.
The performance showed UW’s toughness. In addition to refocusing after a major win, the Badgers (17-3, 11-1) played without starting libero Gulce Guctekin, who was out due to a leg injury, and put away a pesky opponent that took it to them at times.
“Both teams put so much pressure, in different ways, on each other,” UW coach Kelly Sheffield said. “There were a lot of big-time plays by both teams and some errors by both teams because of the pressure that you’re under.”
Redshirt sophom*ore outside hitter Sarah Franklin finished with 18 kills for the Badgers and received 49 of Minnesota’s 89 serves. Sophom*ore outside Julia Orzol added 13 kills and was the other half of the team’s serve reception for the evening with 30 chances.
It wasn’t a night for impressive stats, but Franklin, Orzol and junior middle blocker/right side hitter Devyn Robinson were their sharpest offensively during the final set when UW had a match-high .283 hitting percentage.
Robinson had six of her 13 kills during the final set, including a couple of bombs that set the tone for the set. Franklin posted five kills and a .307 hitting percentage. Orzol had four kills and a .375 hitting percentage in the final set.
Their play helped Wisconsin quickly regain momentum after its worst set of the day. In the third they hit .075 and allowed Minnesota to hit .312.
However, a 10-4 run to open the fourth set allowed Wisconsin to quickly gain momentum.
“Tonight, we got it taken to us in the third set and we responded – strength and unity – in the fourth set,” Sheffield said. “After Wednesday getting back in here and getting locked in on our next opponent, an opponent that swept us earlier, and being able to respond I thought was great. It’s a great team effort.”
Orzol finished with 11 digs for her 10th career double-double. Senior setter Izzy Ashburn finished with 30 assists, her third match with at least 30 this season, Junior middle blocker Caroline Crawford posted four kills, three aces and five blocks. Shanel Bramschreiber, the graduate transfer from Baylor, started in place of Guctekin and recorded 19 digs and one ace.
Sheffield noted that Minnesota only served to Bramschreiber seven times, a sign of respect, he said. She faced the Gophers in a NCAA regional last season at the Field House.
“That was the first full match I’ve played in since December and I thought it was fitting (that) my last match was here against Minnesota, so I think I was more excited and just more eager than normal to get back out there and get revenge,” Bramschreiber said. “It was a redemption game for me.”
The same could be said of the Badgers as they redeemed themselves from their worst performance of the season and maintained their hold on first place in the Big Ten.
Up next is a trip to Champaign, Illinois, to face the Fighting Illini, who pushed UW to five sets before falling on Oct. 2.
It’s a challenge the Badgers will take on the same way they shifted their attention to Minnesota following the victory over Nebraska.
“Something we say in our film room after every match is ‘Who’s next? All we have to do is focus on the next game. (That match) was the past. We did great. We’re going to carry that over, but who’s next?'"
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Badgers volleyball team beats another ranked foe for 10th straight win
