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The Daily Cardinal Est. 1892
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Ellen Chapman

Sophomore outside hitter Ellen Chapman led the Badgers with 13 kills in Wisconsin’s loss to Minnesota Wednesday.

Badger comeback attempt falls short

It was a disheartening night in Minnesota for the Badger volleyball team, who faced a strong No. 10 Gophers squad.

The Gophers (4-5 Big Ten, 16-4 overall) came out with intensity in the first two sets and, despite late pressure from Wisconsin (3-6, 15-7), swept the Badgers. The third set saw 13 ties and the Badgers striking back, but it was too little, too late.

Wisconsin played catch-up to the Gophers through two sets, eventually gaining its first lead in the third set. Sophomore outside hitter Ellen Chapman helped tie the set with two kills, and junior right side hitter Julie Mikaelsen put the Badgers on top with a kill of her own.

The lead mounted for Wisconsin, and at one point, the Badgers led the third set 16-13. But after a Minnesota timeout, the Gophers lashed back, scoring four straight points and reestablishing a competitive presence.

For the rest of the set, the Gophers and the Badgers traded points evenly, tying and exchanging leads.

Wisconsin served for the set twice, but both attempts were refuted by the Gophers. A kill from Mikaelsen helped stave off match point for the Badgers, tying the score at 26-26, but Minnesota took the last two points, and, ultimately, the set and the match.

The first and second sets were not as up-and-down as the last. Minnesota played nearly spotlessly to start, and with eight service aces, the Gophers clinched an easy win in the first.

In the second, with the Badgers down 12-7, the Gophers committed three service errors, which helped Wisconsin pull within one point. There were six ties in the second set, but Wisconsin could not get the lead. In the following roller-coaster third set, they couldn’t keep it.

The Badgers will return home to play Indiana this Friday at the UW Field House. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

UWBadgers.com contributed to this report.

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