The No. 9 Wisconsin volleyball team will head to Ann Arbor Saturday to take on the Michigan Wolverines in a matchup of the top two teams in the Big Ten.
No. 10 Michigan (12-0, 0-0 Big Ten) achieved the highest AVCA coaches poll ranking in Wolverine volleyball history and boasts the only undefeated record among Big Ten teams.
Michigan is led by senior outside hitter Katie Bruzdzinski who is leading the team in kills and aces, averaging 4.42 and 0.65 per game, respectively. Bruzdzinski, along with junior Beth Karpiak and sophomore Veronica Rood, who add 6.5 kills per game between them, head the heavy Wolverine attack at the net. On the defensive end, senior libero Stesha Selsky leads the Big Ten with 6.72 digs per game.
The Badgers will look to establish the block early and often against the Wolverines with one of the tallest front lines in the country. Wisconsin's two middle hitters - 6'3' senior Taylor Reineke and 6'2' junior Audra Jeffers - rank second and 10th in the Big Ten in blocks per game. The Badgers totaled a season-high 18 blocks in their win over Illinois Wednesday.
Wisconsin (9-1, 1-0) leads the all-time series over Michigan 40-14, including a 16-9 record at Cliff Keen Arena.
Wisconsin is coming off its first Big Ten victory over Illinois last Wednesday night at Huff Hall, where the Badgers came back from a 41-39 marathon first game to take the next three. The 80 points scored in the first game was the second longest in UW history, and the longest in Illinois' record books.
Each year, the Big Ten conference issues a travel partner to each team in order for each school to play one another in a season. This year, the Badgers are paired with Illinois, meaning that other Big Ten squads will play both UW and the Fighting Illini during the same weekend. It also means that UW plays Illinois during the school week and then must travel for another road game on the weekend.
The cycle we are on right now, going to Illinois and then Michigan is one I have not done as long I've been here,"" head coach Pete Waite said. ""When we had Minnesota as a travel partner it was always tough for teams, because you couldn't just prepare for one ... you always want to have a strong travel partner which helps your case.""
Michigan will play a stubborn Illinois squad Friday before the match-up with Wisconsin Saturday night. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
