Volleyball looks to continue winning streak at home this weekend
November 10, 2011 | Volleyball
Nov. 10, 2011
MADISON, Wis. – Only six matches remain in the regular season and the Wisconsin volleyball team hopes to keep its momentum going after upsetting then-No. 6 Penn State last Sunday. The Badgers look for their first sweep of the season against No. 24 Michigan on Friday while aiming for a season split vs. Michigan State on Saturday. Both matches start at 7 p.m. in the UW Field House.
| Match 27 | vs. NO. 24 MICHIGAN | |
| Date | Friday, Nov. 11 | 7 p.m. |
| Location | Madison, Wis. | UW Field House |
| Watch Live | InsideBadgerSports.com |
| Live Stats | GameTracker |
| Radio | BadgerSportsNetwork.com | The Mic 92.1 FM |
| Social Media | @BadgerVBall  | Facebook  |
| Promotions |
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| Match 26 | vs. MICHIGAN STATE | |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 6 | 7 p.m. |
| Location | Madison, Wis. | UW Field House |
| Watch Live | InsideBadgerSports.com |
| Live Stats | GameTracker |
| Radio | BadgerSportsNetwork.com | The Mic 92.1 FM |
| Social Media | @BadgerVBall | Facebook |
While three players either tied or set career high marks and the Badgers outdug the Nittany Lions in the match, head coach Pete Waite hopes that his players take something bigger from Sunday’s upset of the reigning national champions.
“I hope they take the confidence in themselves, and the belief that they can beat anybody at any time if they play that way,” he said. “It was a great match in front of the fans, and, I think, a real boost in the arm for the players, for what they've been working on all year so (I was) really pleased with that.
“I think the players think they're doing the right things, and they'll continue this week aiming for the top.”
The strong defensive effort from the Badgers also helped them upset the then-No. 18 Wolverines last month in Ann Arbor, Mich. Wisconsin outdug and outblocked Michigan in the match on Oct. 8, setting a new conference-season high at the time with 16.0 total blocks.
Wisconsin performed well offensively in both matches in the state of Michigan in October, outnumbering Michigan State in kills despite the four-set loss. The Badgers also won a then-record third set at 34-32, while freshman Courtney Thomas became just the fourth UW player to record a triple-double with 16 kills, 26 assists and 15 digs vs. the Spartans.
Michigan State is just one spot above the Badgers in the Big Ten standings in seventh place, and Michigan is one spot below UW in a tie for ninth place. With just two conference matches separating fifth place from 10th place, this weekend’s home stand is very important for the Badgers if they want to secure an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.
But Waite says a bid into Wisconsin’s first postseason tournament since 2007 is a possibility, even with four of the Badgers’ six remaining regular-season opponents being ranked in the most recent AVCA Coaches’ Poll.
“It's certainly not going to be easy,” he said. “But I think our players have the confidence that we had (upsetting two of the three ranked teams they’ve beaten on the road), so they're totally capable of it.
“But we're going to have to play very well to get it done.”
