Successfully closing out opponents has proven to be quite the challenge for the No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers as of late.
Volleyball: After coming off of two tough losses against ranked teams, the No. 11 Badgers (2-4 Big Ten, 11-4 overall) are eager to take on No. 5 Nebraska (6-0 Big Ten, 13-3 overall) this Wednesday at the field house.
In Big Ten volleyball, nothing ever comes easy. Each team in the conference must overcome their fair share of obstacles, fighting to survive a brutal schedule which proves immensely challenging for even the nation’s most talented teams. And for the No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers (2-4 Big Ten, 11-4 overall), the arduous nature of life in the Big Ten has certainly taken its toll.
Nothing quite beats the atmosphere of a gym that is hosting two rival teams. The energy is multiplied, the fans are buzzing and the hairs on the back of everyone’s necks are standing tall.
In crucial Big Ten slate, Wisconsin gears up for Minnesota, Michigan State Letting a lead slip away can be a jarring experience for any athlete, as missed opportunities and improbable collapses may damage the collective confidence or emotional state of the team.
After a busy weekend in Badger athletics, Wisconsin men's hockey coach Tony Granato and Wisconsin volleyball head coach Kelly Sheffield preview the week ahead. Volleyball: The Badgers (2-2 Big Ten, 11-2 overall) fought hard this weekend as they were faced with back-to-back conference matches on the road.
An undefeated nonconference season for the No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers (2-2 Big Ten, 11-2 overall) seemingly signaled a dominant start to Big Ten play.
The Badgers most recent victory over Michigan last Sunday may not have come without the late-set heroics of outside hitter Lauryn Gillis.
Following a devastating defeat to Michigan State in its Big Ten opener Friday night, No. 5 Wisconsin (1-1 Big Ten, 10-1 overall) got back to business as usual Sunday afternoon, sweeping the twentieth-ranked Michigan Wolverines (0-2, 10-4) by a score of 25-11, 30-28, 25-13, at the Field House. Much like they did in their previous match, the Badgers came sprinting out of the opening gates, getting off to a very fast start in the first set.
In a thrilling and hard-fought Big Ten battle, No. 5 Wisconsin (0-1 Big Ten, 9-1 overall) was pushed to the limit in its conference opener at the Field House Friday night, taking on a Michigan State team (1-0 Big Ten, 8-2) that refused to be overwhelmed by an elite school seeking to defend its home floor.
Often, the first few games of a team’s season can be an indicator of overall success. Win a few and the overall season outlook looks positive — drop a couple and that team puts themselves in a tough position to battle back for conference and potential playoff prowess.
If any fans left the Field House worried after watching Wisconsin drop its first set of the season a few days ago against Marquette, those concerns were promptly put to rest Saturday night. In its best performance of the season, No. 5 UW (9-0) thrashed Southern Mississippi by a score of 25-8, 25-10, 25-11, making quick work of the Golden Eagles to secure the Badger Classic tournament title.
It wasn’t smooth sailing for the No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers (8-0) as they faced unranked Marquette (5-5) Thursday night at the UW Fieldhouse. Until last night the Badgers hadn’t lost a single set, but with strong leadership from its seniors, UW pulled out a win of three sets to one victory over the Eagles, 19-25, 25-13, 25-21, 26-24. Senior Kelli Bates lead the team with 17 kills and 10 digs to earn herself a double-double and sophomore M.E.
Building a strong defense is a task that generally takes time and practice. Progression on the defensive side of the court typically occurs at a gradual pace, as players slowly develop a rapport with one another and learn how to play together as one cohesive unit.
Another magnificent performance in the middle helped propel the Badgers to victory in the final round of the HotelRed Invitational, as No. 6 Wisconsin (7-0) took down Texas A&M (3-3) by a score of 25-19, 25-23, 25-10, clinching the HotelRed Invitational Saturday night at the Field House. The combination of middle blockers Tionna Williams and Dana Rettke were dialed in at all times and devastated the Aggies up front.
Despite coming dangerously close to losing its first set of the season, No. 6 Wisconsin (6-0) managed to walk away from the UW Field House unscathed yet again, sweeping the Lipscomb Bison (4-3) by a score of 25-19, 25-19, 26-24, in the first round of the annual HotelRed Invitational Thursday night. After gaining a 2-0 set-lead, the Badgers had to fight tooth and nail for the final frame of the match.
For the past several years, the Wisconsin volleyball program has served as a remarkable testament to the value of assembling a roster rich with experience and leadership.
Playing three matches over the course of just two days, No. 6 Wisconsin (5-0) turned what easily could have been a tumultuous and tiresome road trip into an impressive display of dominance, picking up sound victories over Syracuse, Arkansas and Kansas State to capture the championship in the K-State Invitational this weekend. The Badgers opened their 2017 road campaign by traveling to Kansas and competing in a rare doubleheader.
After Friday night’s performance in the UW Fieldhouse, all four teams in the annual Big 10/ACC Challenge had limited time to rest up and prepare for their opponent Saturday night.
Following an offseason rife with roster turnover and personnel change, the Wisconsin Badgers arrived at the UW Field House Friday night in its opening match of 2017 looking quite different than it had a year ago. Despite adding eight players over the summer, seven of whom are freshmen, the reconfigured, seventh-ranked Badgers (1-0) appeared to have little trouble finding their footing on the floor, sweeping the Louisville Cardinals (0-1) by a score of 25-18, 25-19, 26-24 in the first round of the annual Big Ten/ACC challenge. For a team comprised of thirteen underclassmen, the fate of the Badgers’ season will largely rest in the hands of players who have yet to prove themselves at the collegiate level. But if Friday’s victory over Louisville serves as any indication of things to come, head coach Kelly Sheffield’s team should fare just fine.
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Solutions by The State News
