OMAHA, Neb. - For the second-straight year, the Wisconsin volleyball team will compete in the NCAA National Semifinals. The top-seeded Badgers (15-0) advanced with a 30-28, 18-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-12 win over eighth-seeded Florida on Monday night from the CHI Health Center Arena.

This will be the second year in a row that the Badgers will advance to the national semifinals and the fourth time in program history.

The first set was a battle with the Badgers barely pulling out the win. Wisconsin had a six-point lead at 18-12 but the Gators fought back to tie the score at 23. Florida served for set point twice and the Badgers served for set point three times before an attack error by Florida's Thayer Hall put Wisconsin up 29-28. A kill by Molly Haggerty sealed the win for the Badgers.

The Gators stormed back to take the second set and even the match at one set apiece.

The Badgers came out stronger in set three as Florida led early before a Gator hitting error put Wisconsin up 13-12. Five ties later, including at 17-17, Wisconsin was able to pull away, outscoring the Gators 8-5 over the stretch. Dana Rettke and Devyn Robinson recorded two blocks and Lauren Barnes had a service ace to key the win.

Wisconsin led 3-0 in the fourth set but couldn't maintain its lead as the Badgers went to five sets for the first time this season.

Down by three early several times in the decisive fifth set, including at 9-6, the Badgers went on a 4-0 run to lead 10-9 off a Florida hitting error.The Badgers didn't look back as they maintained their lead and  served for match point at 14-12 off a Grace Loberg kill. After a Florida time out, Rettke and Sydney Hilley teamed up for the match-winning block.

Haggerty led the team with a season-high 17 kills, followed by Rettke with 16.  Loberg added 10 kills.

As a team, the Badgers had a season-low hitting percentage of .153 (59 kills - 30 errors - 189 attempts) while Florida outhit Wisconsin at .170 (63-31-188).

Florida outblocked Wisconsin, 12-9, as Robinson led the Badgers with a career-high six blocks. The Gators also scored on seven service aces, compared to four for UW, while UF finished with an 88-87 edge in digs. Barnes led the team with 28 digs, tying her career best, while Giorgia Civita and Sydney Hilley added 17 digs apiece. Hilley earned a double-double as she put up 49 assists.

Straight from the Court

Head Coach Kelly Sheffield

"It was a heck of a match, both teams fighting really really hard. it wasn't the prettiest match but it was two teams that just battled. (Florida) gave us everything we could handle. It's a match that certainly our players will remember for the rest of their lives.

"They dug in there, down by four in the fifth set. They made a lot of plays and didn't give up on themselves. They gave themselves a chance.

"It was tough to score and it's usually not that tough for us to score. It's not often that we've gone beyond three. There becomes some times when it becomes a lot harder than what you're used to and you have a decision to make. Do you lay down or dig in a little deeper? There was no question it was tough to score out there."

Molly Haggerty

"We might've not this season faced a team that took us to five (sets) but everyday in practice we put ourselves in those situations. Being in that fifth set kind of felt like home and we were well prepared for that moment."

Dana Rettke

"(The fifth-set match point) was just kind of a surreal moment just because this season has been a grind, it's been crazy. Really everything that we have been through up to that point, our season was on the line. It was everything that we've done, everything we've practiced, everything we've been through. That moment was bringing it all together."

Notes to Know

• Senior Molly Haggerty recorded a season-high 17 kills to lead UW.
• The Badgers played their first five-set match of the season and their first since losing at No. 8 Penn State, 3-2, on Nov. 29, 2019.
• Wisconsin hit a season-low .153 (59 kills – 30 errors – 189 attempts) and was outhit for the first time this season -- .170 (63-31-188) for Florida.
• The Badgers were outblocked 12-9, marking just the second time this season they have been outblocked. Freshman Devyn Robinson recorded a career-high six blocks to lead UW.
• UW had a season-high 87 digs behind a match-high 28 digs from senior Lauren Barnes, which ties her career best. Sydney Hilley and Giorgia Civita both chipped in 17 digs. Hilley earned a double-double as she put up 49 assists at setter.
• Wisconsin will make its fourth overall appearance in the NCAA National Semifinals. The Badgers also advanced in 2000, 2013, and 2019.

Up Next

The Badgers take on fourth-seeded Texas in the national semifinals on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. live on ESPN.