The Badger bench celebrates match point against No. 4 Nebraska
Greg Anderson
1
Nebraska NEB 13-4, 6-1
3
Winner Wisconsin WIS 12-4, 3-4
Nebraska NEB
13-4, 6-1
1
Final
3
Wisconsin WIS
12-4, 3-4
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Nebraska NEB 16 15 25 23 (1)
Wisconsin WIS 25 25 17 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Back on track: Badgers plow past Huskers

Wisconsin earns win over No. 4 Nebraska

Box Score

MADISON, Wis. – The 11th-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team gave the UW Field House a lot to cheer about Wednesday night, defeating No. 4 Nebraska 25-16, 25-15, 17-25, 25-23. 
 
Sophomore Madison Duello was the hero of the night, leading the team with a career-high 13 kills, including the match-clinching bomb. Three other Badgers added double-digit kills as Dana Rettke (12), Lauryn Gillis (11) and Tionna Williams (10) added to the UW attack.
 
Setter Sydney Hilley guided the Wisconsin (12-4 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) offense to a .296 (51 kills – 14 errors – 125 attempts) hitting percentage. The freshman earned her fourth-straight double-double with 40 assists and 13 digs. Nebraska (13-4, 6-1) hit .163 (46-24-135).
 
Sophomore Tiffany Clark had a match-high 16 digs to pace the UW defense. Wisconsin topped Nebraska in the backcourt, earning 58 digs to their 52.
 
The Badgers also earned the advantage at the net, out blocking the Huskers 13-8. Rettke led the charge with a match-high eight blocks and Duello added five.
 

Notable

  • Redshirt sophomore Madison Duello had a career-high 13 kills, including the match-winning attack. Her previous best was 12 kills vs. Kansas State on Sept. 2.
  • Junior Tiffany Clark led all players with 16 digs, marking her sixth straight match with 10-plus saves.
  • Freshman Sydney Hilley earned her fourth straight double-double and her fifth of the season with 40 assists and 13 digs. The 6-0 setter picked up her first career block solo.
  • Freshman Dana Rettke finished with a match-high eight blocks, just one off her career high of nine blocks.
  • Wisconsin outblocked Nebraska 13-8, marking the 13th match this season it has outblocked its opponent and the 11th match with 10-or-more stops.
  • The win snapped a three-match losing streak for the Badgers. It was also the first win over the Huskers since the 2014 season.
  • The victory over No. 4 Nebraska was the highest-ranked opponent that Wisconsin has defeated since downing No. 2 Texas on Sept. 18, 2016. It is also the third ranked foe UW had downed this season.
  • The Badgers won the match with balanced offense and defense. Wissconsin had four players record 10-or-more kills - Duello (13), Rettke (12), Gillis (11), and Williams (10). Three players also had double-figure digs - Clark (16), Hilley (13), and Bates (11).
 

Celebrate good times, come on!


Quotable

"That was a good win. You get into some of those close matches, and you're able to build from that. Just believe. We can get a close one here against a top team in conference, and to come away with a win just by playing our game. I've said it before—this team is good enough.
 
"There were probably a lot of people watching that on TV probably had us losing (the fourth set) and losing the fifth. I thought, to come back there in the fourth, making winning plays—just playing steady, just doing your job, putting a good serve in, passing, playing some defense—I just thought we were steady there at the end of the fourth."
 
- Head coach Kelly Sheffield
 
"I think the past couple games, I've been very quiet and very cautious. I didn't want to make errors, I didn't want to let my teammates down so I was very tentative.
 
"This game, it was time that I needed to step up. I wasn't scared of the block, I wasn't scared of making an error. I just went out there and hit the shots I was given and tried my best."
 
- Redshirt sophomore Madison Duello
 

It was over when

Wisconsin was up two sets to one going into the fourth frame. After trading points for the majority of the set, the Badgers found themselves down by two (20-18) late in the game. Dana Rettke's attack was called out but a UW challenge determined there was a Husker touch on the play.  A Badger block by Rettke and Lauryn Gillis evened the score at 20 and forced a Nebraska timeout.
 
UW went on a 3-0 run behind two kills from Madison Duello and a kill from Rettke to take a 23-21 lead. Nebraska countered with two kills from Jazz Sweet to tie the score at 23-23, the 14th tie of the set. After a UW timeout, Rettke and Duello hit back-to-back kills giving the Badgers a much-needed win over No. 4 Nebraska.
 

Up next

The Badgers will be back in action at the UW Field House on Friday night for a match against Indiana at 7 p.m.
 
Print Friendly Version