MADISON, Wis. -- Sophomore Jade Demps recorded her first career double-double as the fifth-ranked Badger volleyball team downed Michigan State, 3-1, on Friday night.  Wisconsin (22-3, 14-3 B1G) took down the Spartans (11-15, 4-13) 25-15, 25-17, 34-36, 25-17. 

The Badgers looked strong through the first two sets, dominated by multiple players behind the service line. Izzy Ashburn led the team with five aces in the match, three coming from the second set alone. Back-to-back aces put the Badgers up 8-3 in the second set before a Spartan attack error forced them to call a timeout. After the time out, another Ashburn ace made the score 10-3. Demps got in on the scoring from the service line in the second set as well, recording her second ace of the match, a career high, to put Wisconsin up 23-17. A kill from Dana Rettke and another Michigan State attack error gave the Badgers a 2-0 lead in the match.

The third set was one for the record books as the period featured 24 ties and seven lead changes as well as numerous coaches' challenge. Wisconsin served for match point at 24-22 but the Spartans stopped the Badgers five times, including at 30-29.  Fans thought the Badgers had won the match at 31-29 off a Michigan State attack error but a Spartan challenge overruled call on the court. The Badgers served for match point again at 31-30 but two Spartan blocks give MSU set point at 32-31. Michigan State looked to have won the set at 36-34 but the home crowd encouraged head coach Kelly Sheffield to challenge a foot fault on the MSU serve. Sheffield won the challenge and the score was tied again at 34. The Spartans scored two straight to send the match to four sets. 

The Badgers rebounded in the fourth set, taking an 11-5 lead. Michigan State closed within three (15-12) but a 4-1 Wisconsin run gave the Badgers a 19-13 lead. After a Michigan State timeout and two kills from Orzol, Wisconsin went on a 4-0 run to serve for match point at 24-16. MSU held off one match point but this time, Wisconsin needed only one final kill from Rettke for the win.

As a team, Wisconsin hit .270 (60 kills - 20 errors - 148 attempts) and held the Spartans to .158 (55-30-158). Orzol led all players with 15 kills while hitting .273 (15-6-33). Rettke hit a match-high .391 (13-4-23) while Demps (12) and Grace Loberg (11) each added double-digit kills. 

Sydney Hilley put up 53 assists for the Badger offense and added 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the season, including her third straight. Orzol pulled off her second straight double-double, adding 10 digs while Demps added a career-high 14 digs for her first career double-double.

Defensively, Rettke led the team with eight blocks, helping the Badgers out-block the Wildcats 12-9. Hilley contributed five blocks, followed by Robinson with four. 

Behind Ashburn's five aces, Wisconsin scored eight times from the service line while giving up only three aces.

Straight from the Court

Head Coach Kelly Sheffield
"I thought that was the best we've played in probably about a month or so. I thought our team played really well in most aspects of the game. It was two teams that were battling. That third set was kind of epic. I loved how we responded to start out the fourth. We got back to work and a lot of positive contributions across the board.

"We scored a lot of points during Izzy's (Ashburn) and Jade's (Demps) rotations. They got on some long runs. Izzy was great behind the service line. I thought all of us applied pressure and we kept the ball in play. I was really pleased with the way we were serving tonight."

On Michigan State
"It is a really good team. I think sometimes you look at the record and think there is not a good team on the other side of the net. They are a team that have beaten some pretty darn good people and knock on the door of some others. They have some servers that can really give you some problems. They run that slide faster than about anybody. Those guys battled."

On Jade Demps
"It was a great match for Jade. I thought that that a connection with her and Syd (Hilley) is getting better. She puts the ball in good areas of the court and gives us another option when Sydney is in the front row. We are figuring out how to utilize her a little bit, her defense is getting better... just a lot of aspects. I'm sure you can see different areas of her game that are improving and she getting more confident in her play out there and it is a big help.'

Notes to Know

• Wisconsin's 34 points in the third set ties the school record for most points scored in a set under 25-point rally scoring.
• Sophomore Jade Demps recorded her first career double-double with 12 kills and a career-high 14 digs. She also added a career-high two service aces.
• Graduate student Sydney Hilley picked up her team-best ninth double-double of the season with 53 assists and 11 digs. It was her third-straight double-double.
• Freshman Julia Orzol picked up her second-straight double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs, her fifth career double-double.
• Junior Izzy Ashburn scored a season-high five service aces, just one off her career best.

The Badgers take a short road trip to Minnesota on Sunday to face the No. 9 Golden Gophers in a Border Battle. First serve is at 4 p.m. from Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.