Volleyball Takes on Indiana at Home
November 01, 2002 | Volleyball
The 15th-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team has at least one thing going for it when it opens the second half of Big Ten Conference play tonight against Indiana in the UW Field House. Coach Pete Waite and his team are coming off their biggest win of the season 'a 3-2 win at then-ninth-ranked Penn State last Saturday. The Badgers won in University Park, Pa., for the first time in program history.
"The win against Penn State hopefully got us in the right direction and gave our team a lot of confidence going into this week and the second half of Big Ten play," said Waite at a news conference on Monday.
"We've struggled finishing off games, not just for matches but getting four or five-point leads and then letting them go. This says a lot for the players now that they are more focused on the concentration and not being fearful of losing a game and going after a win."
Wisconsin and Indiana take to the court at 7 p.m. tonight in the UW Field House. On Saturday, the Badgers and Ohio State will serve it up in front of a national television audience on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
The Badgers have been on what Waite called a roller coaster ride this season. Wisconsin is 15-6 overall and 6-4 in Big Ten play, the most first-round conference losses in Waite's four years at the UW. The Badgers lost to Illinois for the first time since 1999; to Indiana for the first time since 1995; and to Northwestern for the first time since 1988. All three of those losses were on the road so Wisconsin gets the chance to avenge its losses at home starting tonight against the Hoosiers. Wisconsin also lost a five-game match to then-sixth-ranked Minnesota in the UW Field House'it 's only home loss of the season.
"I have no idea what is going to happen this weekend, but I know at home they play even better," said Waite of his team. "The crowd has been great for us and our team really gets up for home matches and plays well. So I couldn't even tell you the starting lineup or the probable starters right now. But come game day we 'll go out with a group and see how it goes and within five points I'll know if I'm going to change it."
Last weekend at Penn State, Waite used redshirt freshman Aubrey Meierotto at left-side hitter for most of the match. The 6-1 Meierotto responded with a career-high 18 kills on 40 attempts. She was one of four players in double-figure kills for the Badgers. Wisconsin also played excellent backcourt defense against the Nittany Lions with five players in double-figure digs.
"I'm thrilled (Meierotto) came in and did a great job for us," said Waite. "I think we're probably the hardest Big Ten team to scout because we come up with so many different lineups but that's great because we go four or five deep on the bench with people coming in who can be effective."
"It's a great team. We've just got to get them to play well together at the right times."
Waite will be going for his 100th win at Wisconsin tonight against Indiana. He is 99-22 (.818) in his fourth year at Wisconsin, the highest winning percentage of any UW volleyball coach.
"I didn't even know that and it's not something that I think about ever," said Waite of his 100th win. "I am really thinking about the lineup the next day and trying to get that win in the Big Ten because it's so competitive. I'm thrilled about it, the time has flown, but I still look to this weekend and try to get a couple more wins."
