The Wisconsin Volleyball team begins Big Ten conference play this weekend, hosting a pair of foes from across the border.
The No. 23 Badgers (8-3) take on Northwestern and Illinois at the Field House at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Head Coach Pete Waite knows that to recapture the Big Ten title, which the Badgers won in 2000 and 2001, the team will have to start well in the conference.
\The Big Ten teams are all really strong, top to bottom,"" Waite said. ""The teams all know each other ... you've got better scouting reports from the previous year, which makes it tougher to score.""
Northwestern (9-3) comes in brimming with confidence, having won nine of their last 10 matches, losing only to third-ranked Florida. The Wildcats are led by senior middle blocker Erica Lang, who leads the team in kills, blocks, and hitting percentage and senior outside hitter Iwona Lodzik, who leads the 'Cats in digs.
""Lang and Lodzik are two of the top hitters in??the conference,"" Waite said. ""[They are] weapons that we're gonna have to slow down.""
Senior defensive specialist Jill Maier knows the team will have to be ready.
""Northwestern is definitely going to run a very spread out offense,"" Maier said. ""We've gotta be prepared to run down a lot of balls and be disciplined on defense.""
Illinois (9-1) is also on a streak, winning eight in a row going into Wednesday's match in Evanston against the Wildcats. The Badgers will have to reckon with the height of the Illini, led by 6'5"" middle blocker Lisa Argabright. Like Northwestern's Lang, Argabright also tops Illinois in kills, blocks and hitting percentage.
The Land of Lincoln is not the only state with surging Big Ten teams, however. Wisconsin may be playing its best volleyball of the year following a 2-1 showing at the Georgia Tech Invitational last week. The Badgers narrowly lost to the fifth-ranked host Yellow Jackets before rebounding with wins over South Florida and Western Carolina.
""They can play with one of the top teams in the country,"" Waite said of his team. ""They've got the heart and intensity to play with anybody.""
Maier and junior outside hitter Jill Odenthal, have added heart and intensity for the Badgers. Maier tallied a career high 19 digs earlier this season in a victory over New Hampshire and is looking forward to her final season in cardinal and white.
""Being a senior, it's just a little more exciting,"" Maier said. ""It makes me want to play that much harder and work harder.""
Odenthal has been Wisconsin's offensive leader, averaging 4.06 kills per game. She is also second on the team in both hitting percentage and service aces per game.
Odenthal expects nothing but the best from both the Wildcats and the Illini.
""They have some good athletes,"" said Odenthal. ""I expect it to be a lot of fun. They're going to bring their best game, because they're coming to our house.\
