Wisconsin took out state rival UW-Milwaukee Wednesday night at the Field House in four games, sweeping the Panthers. After losing the first match 33-35, the Badgers rallied back, winning 30-18, 30-28, and 30-25. While there is no win-loss record kept during these spring games, head coach Pete Waite emphasized the importance of spring action.
They're important for your growth as a team. It was great that Milwaukee came in here and we could play them, and they took it to us the first game,\ Waite said. ""They really challenged us to step up and really play well as a team together, and I think we did that after the first game.""
The Badgers looked clean and efficient after their first game lapse. It will be important for Wisconsin to be able to play together well as a team, especially considering it has lost its former co-captains Sheila Shaw and Aubrey Meierotto, who completed their eligibility last fall.
""It is going to be really tough; they are both basically four year starters and they really progressed during their careers,"" Waite said. ""It wasn't just what they did on the court, but just their really tough personalities and hard work ethic as well.""
Wisconsin will look to new players like Amy Bladow to fill in the hole left by Shaw and Meierotto. In 2004, the junior Bladow started four matches and played in 22 matches and 46 games, averaging 1.17 kills per game. Bladow had 19 kills and an impressive .368 hitting percentage Wednesday. But she is not the only Badger who will be looked upon to increase her role.
The Badgers are not only looking for new team leadership, but are also experimenting with some position change. Audra Jeffers, who played right side force last year, is playing almost all left side so far this year. Bladow is playing a lot in the middle, and Katie Lorenzen is being used as a setter right now because Jackie Simpson is out with a broken hand. Katherine Dykstra, a redshirt freshman, has also been getting significant playing time in the middle and on the right side.
Dykstra and Jeffers certainly made their presences felt Wednesday, as Jeffers had 21 kills while Dykstra had eight kills and a team-high .462 hitting percentage.
Sophomore Jocelyn Wack was her usual dominant self, digging out 23 hits. Lorenzen ran the Badger offense to perfection with 70 assists to complement her 12 digs. Adding five blocks and 11 kills was sophomore Taylor Reineke.
As for the Panthers, they were the Horizon League regular-season champions last season. They lost to Loyola in the semifinals of the conference tournament, ending their season with a record of 20-9. UW-Milwaukee headed into Wednesday's game after participating in the Loyola Tournament last weekend. The Panthers are led by senior middle hitter Cheryl Hegemann, who earned All-Horizon League honors in 2005.
Wisconsin is coming off of a season in which they went 26-7 and finished second in the Big Ten with a record of 15-5. For the last two seasons, Wisconsin has advanced to the Elite Eight level of the NCAA tournament. In 2005, the Badgers lost to eventual national champion Washington in the NCAA regional final. Shaw and Meierotto will be missed, but a young, talented team still remains. Only one senior remains, but both the sophomores and juniors have more than enough experience.
The Badgers are in action next in the College Spring Tournament Apr. 22. The tournament will take place in Aurora, Ill., at the Great Lakes Center.
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