Balanced Attack Sends Badgers Over Michigan
November 29, 2002 | Volleyball
The 15th-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team remained in a tie for second place in the Big Ten Conference with a 30-26, 24-30, 30-27, 35-33 win over Michigan Friday night. The Badgers (22-8 overall, 13-6) handed the Wolverines (15-14, 9-10) only their second loss at home this season.
Wisconsin had five players in double-figure kills led by Jill Odenthal, with a match-high 17 kills to tie her career high. Senior Erin Byrd added 16, while Amy Hultgren and Sheila Shaw put down 12 apiece. Aubrey Meierotto came off the bench to record 10 kills in three games. The Wolverines were led by Carrie Ritchie with 16 kills as they totaled four players in double-figures.
'I thought we were real balanced,' coach Pete Waite said. 'I think [Hultgren] stepped it up especially in the fourth game. She had a couple of turnaround blocks on overpasses that were really important and critical at the time.'
Trailing 9-13 in Game 1, the Badgers took a 17-14 lead behind the serve of Korie Gardner. The defensive specialist effectively used a short serve to score six-straight points including two off aces. The Wolverines rallied to tie the game at 19, but another service ace, this one from Morgan Shields, put the Badgers up for good. Michigan would cut the lead to two (28-26) but a Hultgren kill and another service ace from Shields gave UW the win.
The hitting statistics were evenly matched with Wisconsin finishing with a slight 75-69 advantage in kills. The Badgers improved from their .171 hitting percentage in Game 1 to finish with a .312 attack percentage as a team. The Wolverines hit .287 percent.
Game 2 was tied at 11 before Michigan took control, grabbing a 16-12 lead behind kills from Lisa Gamalski and Carrie Ritchie. The Badgers cut the lead to one (19-18) off a kill from Byrd, but errors at critical times prevented Wisconsin from a comeback run as the Wolverines took Game 2.
'We win the first game and hit like that'I wouldn 't mind doing that all the time,' Waite said. 'We didn 't change much [going into the second game]. Our passing was not as good in the second game and that's why we lost it.'
The Badgers switched their starting lineup in Game 3 with Odenthal moving to the right side for Lori Rittenhouse and Meierotto starting on the left side. Wisconsin broke a 10-10 tie behind the front row play of Meierotto and Shaw. Both players had two kills and the duo combined for a block to put the Badgers up 17-12. Wisconsin had their biggest lead of the game at 22-14, but Michigan pulled within two at 28-26 and again at 29-27. Another kill from Shaw put the Badgers up two games to one.
The Badgers rallied from a 27-24 deficit in Game 4 to tie the score at 28. Wisconsin served for match point three times and Michigan served for game point three times before a kill from Byrd put the match away.
'Our kids just stayed really strong mentally,' said Waite of his team's late comeback effort in Game 4. 'They came back solid.'
Lisa Zukowski had 18 digs to aid the Badger defense to a 59-56 advantage in digs. Shields and Jill Maier added 11 digs apiece. Shields added 59 assists and two service aces. Both teams had seven aces, with Gardner leading Wisconsin with three. The Badgers edged the Wolverines in blocks, 8-7, led by four apiece for Hultgren and Shaw.
UW closes the 2002 regular season Saturday night in East Lansing, Mich. The Badgers take on the Michigan State Spartans at 6 p.m. Central.
