The No. 9 Wisconsin volleyball team (10-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) will head to Evanston, Ill., Friday night to tackle Big Ten foe Northwestern. The Wildcats (10-3 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) will look to break a six-game losing streak to the Badgers.
Northwestern has arguably had the most difficult Big Ten schedule this season, taking on three ranked teams to begin its conference campaign. The Wildcats upset then-No. 23 Ohio State in Columbus Friday to begin the year before falling at No. 3 Penn State last Saturday night.
“Every team can be hot in the Big Ten on any night,” said senior libero Jocelyn Wack. “Last weekend with some of the turnouts that happened it’s really just motivation to work hard and control your side. Some people might have a really hot night, but it’s about controlling the rest of the players.”
Senior outside hitter Lindsay Anderson currently leads the Wildcats with 4.05 kills per game. Belgium, Wis., native and senior outside hitter Courtnie Paulus averages 3.39 kills per game, with freshman outside hitter Brittani Gray adding 3.21. Freshman setter Elyse Glab ranks second in the conference with 13.13 assists per game.
“It’s not so much who we try to shut down, but that we just try to have a good block at all spots,” said Waite.
For Wisconsin, sophomore outside hitter Brittney Dolgner leads the Badger offense, averaging 4.83 kills per game so far in 2007. Junior middle blocker Audra Jeffers, freshman outside hitter Allison Wack and sophomore opposite hitter Katherine Dykstra each add more than 2.5 kills a game. Senior floor general Jackie Simpson distributes 12.76 assists per game for UW.
Jeffers was crowned Big Ten defensive player of last week and is coming off a career-high eight blocks last Saturday against previously undefeated No. 10 Michigan. The Badgers also fought off a pesky Illinois squad Wednesday where the team set a season high 18 blocks, including seven from Jeffers.
“The biggest thing is that we won away,” said Jeffers. “It’s always hard to win on the road and to get that confidence to keep winning on the road.”
Game time at Welsh-Ryan Arena is set for 7 p.m.
Wisconsin then heads to East Landing, Mich., to take on the Michigan State Spartans Saturday. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
