Box Score

MADISON, Wis. – It came down to the wire once again but the seventh-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team could not overcome No. 6 Minnesota in the fifth set. The Gophers took the match 23-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-15, 15-13 at the UW Field House Wednesday night.
 
Freshman Dana Rettke led UW with 19 kills and five blocks.  The middle blocker hit .457 (19 kills – 3 errors – 35 attempts) on the night.
 
The Badgers (11-3, 2-3 B1G) also collected two double-doubles from senior Kelli Bates and freshman Sydney Hilley. Bates recorded 13 kills and 12 digs for her fifth double-double of the season and Hilley put up two career highs with 56 assists and 14 digs for her third double-double of her career.
 
Minnesota (14-2 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) held a narrow advantage in hitting percentage, the first time all season the Badgers were outhit. The Gophers hit .239 (70-25-188) while Wisconsin hit .229 (66-25-179).
 
UW had 78 digs to Minnesota's 75. Libero Tiffany Clark had a match-high 24 digs, including a diving save into the bench during the first set.
 
At the net the Badgers had 12 stuffs thanks to six blocks from Madison Duello and five blocks apiece from Tionna Williams and Dana Rettke.
 

Notable

• Freshman Sydney Hilley picked up her third double-double of the season with a career-high 56 assists and a career-high 14 digs.
• Dana Rettke tied her career high with 19 kills. It was her 10th match this season with 10-plus kills
• The Badgers outblocked its 12th opponent of the season and marked their 10th match with 10-plus blocks as they outblocked Minnesota 12-11.
• Senior Kelli Bates picked up her fifth double-double of the season and 27th of her career with 13 kills and 12 digs.
• Sophomore Tiffany Clark finished just one off her career high with a match-high 24 digs.
• Minnesota outhit the Badgers .239 (70 kills - 25 errors - 188 attempts) to .229 (66-25-179), marking the first time all season an opponent has hit better than UW. It was an opponent season-high percentage.
• Wisconsin falls to 2-2 against ranked teams this season.

 

Quotable

"Like I told these guys downstairs, we're a few points here from possibly being undefeated in this league, and instead, we've lost three game fives. But the thing is, as we've gone through the season, coming off of each loss, I've thought we've responded the right way, we've learned, we've grown. They're probably tired of the learning and the growing right now, but we've got no choice. It's a long season, we've got fifteen more matches.
 
"I think people are pretty bummed, but I think we'll see people coming back on Friday ready to get after Michigan State, another opportunity. That's one of the great things about this conference, is that there's always another great opportunity right in front of you."
 
- Head coach Kelly Sheffield
 

Sydney slam

Why set the ball when you can get the kill? pic.twitter.com/NZVxrzG5Kk

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) October 5, 2017

 

It was over when

After trading the first four sets, the Badgers and Gophers kept things close to begin the fifth frame until Minnesota took a three-point lead at 10-7.
 
The Badgers would claw back to tie the set at 13-13 behind kills from Lauryn Gillis and Dana Rettke. That's as close as they would come as Minnesota terminated the next two points to take the match.
 

Up next

The Badgers hit the road this weekend for a faceoff at No. 14 Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan, at 3 p.m.