The No. 25 Wisconsin volleyball team will look to get back on track tonight as it hosts the Northwestern Wildcats in a mid-week Big Ten showdown.
Wisconsin (4-6 Big Ten, 14-8 overall) is coming off four straight conference losses and its worst Big Ten record since 1995.
Although the team morale was down following a pair of disappointing 0-2 weekends, the team is looking to use tonight's matchup to get back into the groove.
I think everybody has really changed their mindset,"" senior middle hitter Audra Jeffers said. ""It doesn't feel good to lose. So I think it's just a matter of staying mentally tough and really coming in and believing in each other and ourselves, and just making sure we don't lose that team aspect.""
Northwestern (1-9, 7-14) has also had a rough year thus far in the Big Ten, dropping several close matches. The Wildcats suffered a 3-1 loss at home to Wisconsin in early October.
The Wildcats are led by senior middle hitter Chelsy Hyser, who averages 2.77 kills per set. Sophomore middle hitter Sabel Moffett leads the team in blocks per set with 1.08 and hitting percentage with .312, while adding 2.57 kills per set.
""They run a really fast slide with their middles,"" Jeffers said. ""They also bring in one of their right side hitters to hit a two ball in the middle. We had trouble defending that last time so that's something we're really looking to stop this time around.""
""We played them once before, so we kind of know what they bring to the table,"" junior outside hitter Brittney Dolgner said. ""We've watched a lot of film, and we're just really excited to get back out there and show people what we're made of.""
Behind Jeffers' nine kills, the Badgers ran a balanced offensive attack earlier this month at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Wisconsin owns the series 42-25 and has not lost to Northwestern in Madison since 1986.
Jeffers has been a steady senior captain for Wisconsin, leading the team with a .268 hitting percentage while averaging 2.35 kills and 0.95 blocks per set in conference play this season.
Dolgner got back into form against Indiana, recording her sixth double-double of the season with 12 digs and a team-high 16 kills. Dolger leads the team with 3.03 kills per set in Big Ten play.
Sophomore libero Kim Kuzma has played solid defense for the Badgers, ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 4.26 digs per set. Kuzma dug up a career-high 26 attacks last Sunday against the Hoosiers.
Although the Badgers stressed defense in last weekend's series against top-ranked Penn State and Indiana, a faltering offense has recently been Wisconsin's demise. UW hit just .133 against the Lions and .146 against the Hoosiers.
""I think it's just mental toughness, just coming out with fight and desire to play well, to not let the ball touch the ground, just to go after everything,"" Jeffers said. ""It's all about attitude.""
The first serve of the Northwestern match is set for 7 p.m. and will appear live on the Big Ten Network.
