While the No. 10 Wisconsin volleyball team (13-3 Big Ten, 21-5 overall) did not play their best volleyball this past weekend, they did pull out two victories and extend their winning streak to seven matches. They'll need the momentum from those wins for Wednesday's battle for second place in the Big Ten with No. 12 Minnesota (13-3, 19-7).
""We just hit that point of the season [Friday and Saturday] where people were a little bit tired and some things came together where we weren't playing as well as we had been,"" UW head coach Pete Waite said. ""But it still said a lot for them stepping up and finishing the matches and getting the wins on an off day.""
The Gophers bring some of their own momentum into the Field House this weekend, as they beat Illinois and Northwestern last weekend. After suffering a startling loss to Michigan two weeks ago, Minnesota rebounded to dominate the Illini and Wildcats, winning both matches in three games. They also easily swept the Badgers the last time the two teams played, which UW remembers.
""I've been thinking about it since we lost there,"" sophomore outside hitter Audra Jeffers said. ""I cannot wait until we get them in our Field House tomorrow night, it's going to be great.""
Minnesota boasts an extremely balanced offense, as six of their players average more than two kills a game. Sophomore outside hitter Kyla Roehrig and senior middle blocker Meredith Nelson lead the way with 3.35 and 3.16 a game, respectively. Keeping the offense balanced is sophomore Rachel Hartmann, who gets around 13 assists per game.
""They're a lot like us, we're very equal as far as dispersing the ball,"" Waite said. ""We have a balanced attack also, so if both teams are at their best, it should be a great battle.""
Wisconsin's attackers will have to pick their spots well, as the Gophers' back row is deft at digging out potential kills. Four players boast more than 2.3 digs a game, including one of the premier defensive players in the Big Ten in senior defensive specialist Malama Peniata. Peniata averages approximately 5.4 digs a game, easily best in the conference.
On the Badgers' side of the net, senior middle blocker Amy Bladow and junior middle blocker Taylor Reineke continue to get more than a block a game. Offensively, sophomore outside hitter Audra Jeffers had a great weekend, recording 13 kills and a .722 hitting percentage Saturday. But the star of the weekend was freshman outside hitter Brittney Dolgner, as she tallied 30 kills and 14 digs Friday to go with 18 kills and nine digs Saturday.
""I've still got a lot to go on my blocking and passing, but if I have a good night hitting, it gives you confidence,"" Dolgner said.
The match takes place tonight at the Field House at 7 p.m.
