Volleyball ends season with loss
November 28, 2009 | Volleyball
Nov. 28, 2009
MADISON, Wis. - Despite coming back from a 2-0 deficit, the Wisconsin volleyball team couldn't stop a big blocking Purdue team and ended its season with a 3-2 loss to the Boilermakers. The Badgers lost 25-23, 25-19, 15-25, 20-25, 15-11 on Saturday night in the UW Field House. UW ends its season 11-18 overall and 6-14 in the Big Ten Conference, tying for seventh for the second consecutive season.
"We weren't quite getting it done in the first two sets so we came out with a different lineup, switched some things around," said UW head coach Pete Waite. "We had people who came in and did some nice things. I was real proud of how they battled to come back to the fifth. I just wish they could have been rewarded by winning that fifth and getting it done here tonight for the seniors and for the whole team."
Playing without starting right-side hitter Kirby Toon, who injured her left hand Friday night, the Badgers had to switch their lineup with Allison Wack moving to the right side. Wisconsin struggled in the first two sets before switching its lineup for the rest of the match. Waite brought in freshmen Mary Ording and Clare Liston in the third set. The duo, along with freshmen Kelsey Maloney and Alexis Mitchell, sparked wins in the third and fourth sets.
"Someone like Mary Ording, who has hardly practiced on the right (side) all season, yet we asked her to do that and she did well," said Waite.
Ording was one of four Badgers in double figure kills. Mitchell led the UW with a career-high 15 kills while Allison Wack added 11 kills. Ording and Maloney chipped in career highs of 10 kills apiece. Purdue, which was led by Carrie Gurnell with 18 kills, finished with a 62-61 edge in team kills. The Boilermakers also hit .202 compared to .184 for the Badgers.
Janelle Gabrielsen put up 51 assists, running the UW offense.
Purdue used a strong block to key the win as the Boilermakers outblocked Wisconsin 17-7 in the match, including 4-2 in the decisive fifth set. Maloney led the Badgers with four blocks, including one solo. Anna Drewry recorded a double-double for the Boilermakers as she had a match-high 11 blocks to go along with her 10 kills.
"Our serving and passing picked up in the third, fourth and fifth (sets) and allowed things to open up (offensively)," said Waite of the UW's improved play late in the match. "Our middles were stellar and that's something we have not been doing recently so I was happy with Nellie (Gabrielsen) going to the middles."
Wisconsin finished with seven service aces in the match, led by two apiece from Gabrielsen and Wack, and only six service errors. Four aces came in the third set and three sets in the fourth set. The Boilermakers outdug the Badgers 71-62 with four players in double digits. Kim Kuzma led all players with 21 digs.
Seniors Brittney Dolgner and Caity DuPont played in their final matches as Badgers and at times late in the match, Wisconsin had four freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors on the court.
"They played without fear, they went after it," said Waite of his underclassmen. "We were impressed by a lot of things they did. They didn't flinch at all."
The Badgers ended the season with nine straight losses, which ties a school record for longest losing streak in a single season. The longest losing streak in UW history is 14 matches at the end of the 1983 season and the start of the 1984 season.
"I think the team has stayed really positive throughout the last half of the Big Ten season," said Waite. "They've continued to work hard with their game all the time. That's what our goal was - to keep getting better.
"I think the depth of our team improved as the season went on and now the younger players got some good court time so next year they'll be much more experienced, more savvy on the court."
Waite returns five starters plus his libero next season as well as 14 letterwinners. He also adds three of the top players in the country next year.
"I see good things," said Waite of the 2010 season. "Just the fact that a lot of young players got some experience out there this year and they're going to know so much more. A lot of progress took place from last year to this year, even though the ending record didn't show it, they still made a lot of progress and I think we have some great additions coming in who will help us out next season."
