TAMPA, Fla. -- The Wisconsin volleyball 2023 campaign came to an end, as it fell 22-25, 25-20, 13-25, 16-25 to Texas in the National Semifinals on Thursday night.
After a back and forth start to the first set, the Badgers fell behind by as many as five, as they trailed 17-12. Texas and UW traded a few points until the Badgers went on a 4-0 run with two blocks from CC Crawford and Anna Smrek to tie it up at 20-all. Texas closed it out on two kills to take the first set 25-22.
After a bit of a rocky start in set one, the Badgers came out firing in set two. A UW 7-0 run, including three kills from Smrek, gave Wisconsin a 15-7 lead. Texas battled back to bring it within one (16-15), but a few points later the Badgers went on another quick run to put Wisconsin ahead 23-18. The Badgers took the set 25-20 on a block from Sarah Franklin and CC Crawford.
Wisconsin struggled out of the gate on both sides of the net in the third. Texas took command, going on an 11-0 run to make it 15-3. The deficit was too large for the Badgers to overcome, as they fell 25-13 in the third set.
After a tight start to the final set, Texas took an 11-4 lead after a 6-0 run. Wisconsin could not dig out of the hole and lost the final set 25-16 and close out the season.
Franklin and Smrek led the Badgers with 13 kills apiece, as Temi Thomas-Ailara added nine. The Badgers hit .223 (42 kills - 15 errors - 121 attempts).
Outside hitter Madisen Skinner earned match-high honors with 18 kills. The Longhorns hit .274 (57 - 20 - 135).
The Badgers outblocked Texas 10 to six, as Crawford led the team with seven.
Texas recorded 11 service aces, compared to the Badgers' four. UW also finished with 11 service errors.
MJ Hammill and Izzy Ashburn put up 19 and 12 assists, respectively. Gulce Guctekin finished with a team-high 13 digs.
Wisconsin finishes the 2023 season with a 30-4 record.
Straight from the court
Head Coach Kelly Sheffield
On the team overall: "I don't want to be somebody that says you got to win a championship or it's a lost season. I don't want to be in this profession if that's what it is and that's what our players are feeling. We don't talk about that. We talk about trying to play our best, trying to get better, be the best we can be, max out all those types of things. And hopefully along the way you're with people that you enjoy being around. There's a lot to celebrate, there's a lot to be proud of. It's a bittersweet moment because I know they thoroughly enjoyed playing with each other and for each other, and the fan base, and the University. But, you know, that's sports and they have nothing to hang their heads about. It was a great year and we wish we had a few more days with them, but that's the way it goes."
Senior MJ Hammill
On the end of the season: "For me, it's just so much gratitude. I look back and there really is no regrets, which is the way that I want to be leaving the sport. I feel like the luckiest girl that I've gotten to surround myself with these people for the past four years. You know, not the way we wanted to end it, but gave it everything that we had."
Graduate student Izzy Ashburn
On her favorite memory from this team: "I think even in the toughest moments, this team has looked around and we know we're exactly right where we want to be and it's something we talk about a lot. We talk about the hardest practices. We've been through the hardest lifts and conditions, we've always just looked around with so much joy and been exactly where we want to be, whether we're sweating, crying, hitting the floor and bleeding. This group wants to work and we want to work together and it's hard to get us away from each other."
Senior Sarah Franklin
On her favorite part of this season: "I think the biggest takeaway I have from this year is how much growth I've seen in every single person at the beginning of the season. We were a little bit of a different team and I think everyone's kind of stepped up a lot into their roles each and every one and so I think it's just really cool to see that growth across the board."
Notes
- The Badgers wrapped up the season with a 30-4 record, marking the sixth time in program history with 30-plus wins in a season.
- UW moves to 39-10 under head coach Kelly Sheffield in his 11th year in the championship.
- For the 20th time in 2023, Wisconsin tallied double-digit blocks.
- Wisconsin hit .223 (45-15-121). This is just the second time in 2023 where a Badgers' opponent had a better hitting percentage. Texas hit .274 (52-20-135) on the night.
