WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After winning the first two sets, the fifth-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team trailed No. 16 Purdue late in the third frame before going on a 6-1 scoring run to win the set and the match. The Badgers swept the Boilermakers 25-23, 25-19, 26-24, Saturday night in Holloway Gymnasium.
 
Wisconsin (10-2 overall, 3-1 B1G) hit .218 (45 kills – 21 errors – 110 attempts) and held Purdue (13-2, 3-2) to a .194 (37-17-103) hitting percentage.
 
Sophomore Dana Rettke and redshirt junior Madison Duello notched double digit spikes for the Badgers, recording 15 and 12 kills, respectively. Rettke hit a team best .323 and also added two service aces, two digs and two blocks.
 
The balanced Badgers defense saved 40 balls on the night, besting Purdue, who recorded 35 digs. Redshirt sophomore Molly Haggerty led the way with 10 digs while libero M.E. Dodge recorded nine and junior Tiffany Clark tallied eight. 
 
For the first time this season, UW was outblocked by its opponent. Purdue held a 9-6 advantage at the net. Redshirt freshman Danielle Hart paced the team with four stuffs.
 
Behind the service line, Wisconsin earned six aces as Rettke and Haggerty earned two aces each.
 

You gotta watch the whole thing. Trust us, it's worth it. Because at the end.... WE WIN! #Badgers defeat Purdue 3-0 and 26-24 in set three! #OnWisconsin || #RiseAsOne pic.twitter.com/pSGpMuqVvi

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) September 30, 2018

 

Notes to know

• Purdue is the first team to out block the Badgers this season, finishing with a 9-6 edge
• Wisconsin hit a season low .218 while holding Purdue to .198, UW's ninth opponent under .200 this season.
• Junior M.E. Dodge recorded just her fourth career service ace and second of the season.
• Sophomore Dana Rettke recorded a three-set season high 15 kills.
• Sophomore Sydney Hilley recorded her 100th career block with one stuff tonight.

 

Straight from the court

"I'm proud of these guys. The strength that I saw on the bench from them and the strength I saw in them going into the match, there was just a different look to them. We've had a tough time coming into this place and this building, it's a hard place to play, and I thought we were just really gritty. That was Badger volleyball right there, I'll tell you that. The numbers may not tell you that, but it was just a gritty performance for us."
 
-Head coach Kelly Sheffield
 
"I think a lot of it was just our belief in each other. In practices we're always put in situations like that and I think that this was one of the first times in a match where we fought. We just stayed in the fight with each other and we played together, and there was strength from every single one of us on the court."
 
-Redshirt sophomore Madison Duello
 

Up next

Wisconsin continues its four-match road swing on Wednesday night at No. 7 Illinois. The match will air live on the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m.