After two straight weekends of facing lackluster opposition, the No. 11 Wisconsin volleyball team (6-1) will finally compete in a tournament hosting another ranked opponent, No.16 Ohio (6-2), when it travels cross-country to play in the University of San Diego Invitational this weekend.
Unfortunately, the closest the Badgers and Bobcats will come to seeing each other in action will be from the sidelines. The two will each face San Diego (7-3), UC-Santa Barbara (3-3) and Brown (1-2), but are not scheduled to play each other.
That does not mean the Badgers will be able to waltz through the weekend, however. San Diego, who the Badgers play in their final game Saturday night, began the season ranked 20th in the country after posting a 23-6 record last year and making its sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Senior outside hitter Kristen Carlson led the Toreros to a 2-1 mark in last weekend's Hilton Las Cruces Classic as she posted two double-doubles and earned all-tournament honors.
Also a NCAA Tournament participant last year, UC-Santa Barbara has won four consecutive Big West Conference championships. Though the Gauchos were picked to finish third in the conference this year in a preseason poll, they are led by 32nd-year head coach Kathy Gregory, who has a 768-319 career mark and has brought the team to 26 consecutive NCAA tournaments. UCSB went 1-1 in the UNLV invitational last weekend, defeating Xavier 3-0 and falling 3-0 to UNLV.
Brown will likely provide the Badgers with the least competition. The Bears posted a 12-13 record last year and, after winning their season opener, have been swept in two straight matches.
At stake for the Badgers is a six-match winning streak during which they have not dropped a game. Senior outside hitter Maria Carlini and senior middle blocker Amy Bladow have led the team's offensive charge, each earning a tournament MVP title during Wisconsin's winning streak. Junior Jocelyn Wack's record-streak of games with double-digit digs remains intact at 71.
This weekend will be the team's last chance to polish its game before opening up conference play.
