Wisconsin Badgers
Rutgers
Badgers win joust with Scarlet Knights
October 10, 2014 | Volleyball
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Oct. 10, 2014
MADISON, Wis. -- It was a new opponent for the sixth-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team but the Badgers showed no uncertainty, sweeping Rutgers on Friday night in the UW Field House. In the first-ever meeting between the two teams, Wisconsin downed the Scarlet Knights 25-8, 25-17, 25-15 in the first Big Ten Conference between the teams.
The victory extends Wisconsin’s winning streak to four, its longest Big Ten winning streak since 2008, and improves the Badgers’ season record to 13-2 and 4-1 in the Big Ten.
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Wisconsin showed balanced strength on offense, as 11 different players put away kills to the team’s .389 (42 kills – 7 errors – 90 attempts) overall attack percentage. Four Badgers hit better than .500, led by senior Ellen Chapman with a .556 (5-0-9). Freshman Kelli Bates marked a team-best 11 kills in the win, followed by sophomore Haleigh Nelson with nine. Both UW players hit .500.
"We were able to get everybody in," UW head coach Kelly Sheffield said. "Everybody was able to contribute and happy to see that. We have our rotation of eight or nine people and there are a lot more than that who are working really hard and allowing us to have the season that we are having without getting as much playing time as they would on some other teams."
Sophomore Lauren Carlini tallied her 10th double-double on the season, putting up 22 assists and 11 digs. Junior Taylor Morey all players with 13 digs, while Nelson put up a team-best six blocks to mark a new season best. Wisconsin outblocked Rutgers (7-11, 0-5) 12-4 in an effort that held the Scarlet Knights to a .071 (27-20-99) team hitting percentage.
Carlini led all players with two service aces as the Badgers didn’t give an ace for the third time this season.
The Badgers came out on fire to start the match, taking the first seven points on four kills, a block and Carlini’s first service ace. RU responded with two straight kills, narrowing UW’s lead to 7-2 but the Badgers would take the next four points, as the squad put up two blocks while Nelson and Bates each chipped in a kill.
An out-of-bounds strike by Wisconsin left the score at 11-3 but a combination of Rutgers errors and two kills by Thomas sent the Badgers on an 8-0 run. Errors cost the Badgers the next two points before a kill by sophomore Tori Blake created a 23-6 UW advantage. Rutgers made a service error to set up the Badgers’ first set point but the Scarlet Knights held off the win before a line drive by Chapman gave the Badgers the win.
The Badgers dominated both the offensive and defensive fronts in the first set, hitting .565 (13-0-23) while holding RU to a negative .062 (7-9-32) hitting percentage. UW outblocked Rutgers 5-0, led by Thomas and Nelson with three blocks each. Bates marked a team-best four kills in the first, followed by Thomas and Chapman with three.
The second set began in similar fashion as three RU attack errors and a kill by Chapman gave the Badgers an early 4-0 lead. Rutgers stopped that run with a kill, but UW responded with four consecutive putaways to take an 8-1 advantage. An ace by senior Kt Kvas created a 13-4 Badger lead. Both teams struggled to successful plays in the middle of the set as the Scarlet Knights cut the score to 16-11.
Nelson had three kills in the next nine points but RU’s Mikaela Matthews tallied three kills to hold Wisconsin to a 21-16 lead. Kills by senior Dominique Thompson and Bates combined with an error by RU made it set point at 24-17 for UW. Junior Erin Juley won the joust at the net for her only kills of the match and a 25-17 victory.
"Another kid like Erin Juley, I think her home crowd was able to see what I have been seeing," Sheffield said. "She is talented and she came in and did a really good job there at the end of game two."
Wisconsin had nine different players contribute hits in the second set, as the team recorded a .377 (28-5-61) attack percentage. Rutgers put up higher marks in the second set, outblocking and outdigging UW 3-2 and 22-16, respectively. RU also upped their hitting percentage to .171 (10-4-35).
RU took the floor with renewed energy in the third set, with the Knights taking their first lead of the match at 4-3. Rutgers also led 5-4 before Nelson keyed a 4-0 run with two kills and two blocks to put the Badgers up 8-4. RU cut the lead to one (8-7) but that was as close as it would get.
RU struggled to keep the Badgers within reach as the Scarlet Knights made five errors in the next six rallies to create a 13-9 advantage for UW. Wisconsin led 17-13 as the Scarlet Knights would score only two more points with the Badgers ending the match with a 5-0 run to claim the 25-15 set victory. Thomas and Bates both had two kills during the run with the freshman scoring the match winner.
The Badgers continue Big Ten play on Sunday, facing the other conference newcomer in Maryland. Wisconsin and the Terrapins serve off at 1 p.m. in the UW Field House.
