Wisconsin Badgers
Iowa
Badgers fall to Iowa 3-2
November 11, 2009 | Volleyball
Nov. 11, 2009
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Wisconsin volleyball team (11-13 overall, 6-9 Big Ten Conference) dropped its fourth straight match on Friday, losing to Iowa. The Badgers were defeated in five sets 19-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-20, 15-8, in the Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. The loss marks the first time Wisconsin has been swept by Iowa since 1994.
The Badger’s offensive efficiency problems continued as they posted a .112 hitting percentage, while Iowa connected on .185 percent of its shots. Iowa restricted UW’s offense with its 16.5 team blocks as both Mallory Husz and Becky Walters stuffed seven shots apiece. The Badgers totaled just seven team blocks and were led by Alexis Mitchell who had three.
Although Wisconsin struggled to hit consistently, it did out-perform Iowa (12-15, 4-11) in several statistical categories.The UW collectively tallied 59 kills, compared to Iowa’s 55, and had three players with double-digit kills. Brittney Dolgner led the way with 15 kills and two service aces, while Allison Wack scored 14 and Mitchell tallied 12. Mitchell was the team’s most consistent attacker as she recorded a .259 hitting percentage.
Wisconsin also put up 57 assists while Iowa totaled 54. Janelle Gabrielsen directed the Badgers’ offense, dishing out a match-high 53 assists. Iowa’s Paige Stevens trailed with 52 assists.
Kim Kuzma’s season-high 23 digs led the Badgers to tallying a season-high 83 team-digs. Wisconsin out-dug the Hawkeyes 83-71. Wack saved 17 shots, while both Dolgner and Kirby Toon added 12. Toon’s 12 digs marks her career-high.
Megan Schipper led Iowa’s offense with a match-high 19 kills, while Husz put down 12. Christina Meister headlined Iowa’s defense with a match-high 30 digs.
With the score tied at 10 in the first set, the Badgers strung together an 11-2 run to take a convincing 21-12 lead. Wisconsin then closed out the set, winning 25-19. A .286 hitting percentage propelled the Badger’s potent offensive attack.
Wisconsin’s offense began to struggle in the second set, as the Badgers fell behind early 10-6. Iowa cruised to a 25-17 victory while hitting an impressive .452 percent of its shots.
After again trailing early in the third set, the Badgers narrowed the deficit to one at 12-11. However, the Hawkeyes then rolled on a 13-4 run to handedly win the set 25-16.
Both teams continuously exchanged points in the first part of the fourth set. With the score knotted up at 9, the Badgers put together a 10-3 run to take a 19-12 lead. Iowa came within three at 23-20, but UW held on to earn a 25-20 set victory.
The Hawkeyes established an early 6-3 lead again in the fifth set, which they would not lose en route to a 15-8 match victory. Iowa recorded a solid .357 hitting percentage in the set.
The Badgers return home to face No. 13 Minnesota on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the UW Field House.
