Serving up six: Badgers host Dayton

Thursday, September 2

6:30 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

Dayton

Tickets

Sydney Hilley and Danielle Hart slap hands during the announcement of starting lineups.

Photo by: Tom Lynn

Serving up six: Badgers host Dayton

September 01, 2021 | Volleyball

Wisconsin takes on Flyers in back-to-back matches

By: Diane Nordstrom

#2 Wisconsin vs. Dayton	#2 Wisconsin vs. Dayton
Thursday, Sept. 2 \| 6:30 p.m.	Friday, Sept. 3 \| 7 p.m.
Watch on B1G+ ($)	Watch on B1G+ ($)
Listen on U100.9FM	Listen on U100.9 FM
Live Stats	Live Stats
Follow on Twitter	Follow on Twitter

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin (2-0) continues its five-match, home-opening stretch, hosting Dayton (2-1) on Thursday and Friday in the UW Field House. First serve is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and 7 p.m. on Friday. Both matches will be streamed live live on B1G+.

1. FACING THE FLYERS FOR THE FIRST TIME: For the first time since coming to Wisconsin in 2013, UW head coach Kelly Sheffield faces his former team. Sheffield spent five years in the same role at Dayton from 2008-12. He was 131-33 with the Flyers, winning four Atlantic-10 Conference titles and making five NCAA tournament appearances.

2. RECORD WATCH: The Badgers have won 21 straight home matches, dating back to Sept. 19, 2019, when UW fell to Washington, 3-0. The school record is 25 straight matches won from 1999-2001.

3. MORE AWARDS FOR RETTKE AND HILLEY: Graduate students Dana Rettke and Sydney Hilley were honored by the Big Ten this week, earning Big Ten Player of the Week and Big Ten Setter of the Week honors. Rettke averaged 3.33 kills and 1.67 blocks per week while hitting .541. Hilley put up a Big Ten-best 12.14 assists per set. Rettke has won a UW-record 10 Player of the Week honors, which ranks third in the Big Ten. Hilley has earned a UW-record 13 Setter of the Week honors, which also ranks third in the Big Ten.

4. PASSING NAILS: Wisconsin has not given up a service ace this season, outscoring opponents 16-0 from the service line. The Badgers have passed all 103 opponent serves perfectly this season. Junior Joslyn Boyer led UW with a career-high three service aces vs. TCU on Friday while on Saturday vs. Baylor, grad Giorgia Civita tied her career high with three services, all in the first set. The Badgers tie for third in the Big Ten with 2.29 aces per set. Civita ranks eighth in the conference with 0.57 service aces per set. Boyer and Lauren Barnes add 0.43 aces per set.

5. REMEMBER THIS NAME: Freshman Julia Orzoł made an impressive debut, starting both matches on the weekend. The 6-foot outside hitter averaged 3.29 kills per set, recording 10-plus kills in both matches, while hitting .315 (23-6-54). She also added six blocks, 10 digs, one service ace and one assist.

6. SCOUTING THE TEAM: Dayton opened the season 2-1, downing Cincinnati, 3-2, losing to No. 3 Kentucky, 0-3, and defeating Texas State, 3-1. The Flyers return five starters plus their libero from a team that went 14-2 in 2020-21, winning the Atlantic 10 at 8-1 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Senior Jamie Peterson and freshman Lexie Almodovar lead the team with 2.92 kills per set. Sophomore Amelia Moore has a team-best 1.58 blocks per set while sophomore Maura Collins leads the Flyers with 4.25 digs per set.