Wisconsin volleyball meets Sheffield's challenge in sweep of previously undefeated Washington

MADISON – The Wisconsin volleyball team met the challenge.

Badgers coach Kelly Sheffield was unhappy with his team's approach to its match at Rutgers on Wednesday. Simply put, he didn’t think his players were ready to play and he challenged them to do better Sunday.

The Badgers took Sheffield's words to heart.

Wisconsin, which is ranked ninth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, took it to the previously undefeated Washington Huskies from the start, putting on a dominant display of hitting and blocking that resulted in sweep that took just 73 minutes to complete.

The Badgers, who improved to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, played like that had something to prove during the 25-8, 25-14, 25-21 victory in front of announced crowd of 7,229 at the UW Field House.

The match marked UW's second victory over a ranked opponent – Washington (13-1, 3-1) is ranked No. 25 – and offered some redemption for what they put on tape at Rutgers, which was also a sweep .

“It’s something that you know is not Wisconsin volleyball,” senior Anna Smrek said. “That isn’t the standard we came here to play at. That's when we put our heads down and get together.”

Four Badgers hit over .475 as team posts a season-high hitting percentage

UW hit .486, its best hitting percentage of the season, while recording 11 blocks, its second-highest total of the season for a three-set match.

The Badgers had just four hitting errors for the day and the team’s top swingers, senior Sarah Franklin and Smrek, didn’t have an error until late in the third set.

“We came out very physical in a lot of different areas and playing extremely clean volleyball,” Sheffield said. “I think one hitting error through the first two sets is ridiculous. That just doesn’t happen very much. Even four hitting errors through the entire match against statistically the best defensive team in the league (is really good).”

Franklin (12 kills, .478 hitting percentage) led the team in kills. Smrek was next in line with 10 and her .562 hitting percentage just missed her season-best in that category (.562).

Two other Badgers, seniors Devyn Robinson and Julia Orzol, got more than 10 swings and posted hitting percentages of .636 and .500, respectively.

The Huskies came into match hitting .263 in Big Ten play. Their .114 hitting percentage Sunday was their lowest for a match this season. The Badger block had a lot to do with that.

Carter Booth leads Badgers block party

Junior Carter Booth finished with six blocks, Robinson had five and Smrek and freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer (32 assists) had four each.

Their play made the afternoon tough for Washington’s top attackers. Juniors Audra Wilmes and Emoni Bush and seniors Kiune Fletcher and Madi Endsley combined for 71 of the Huskies' 88 swings. They combined to hit .113.

As a result, a match between two ranked teams turned into a one-side affair with just one lead change during the first two sets.

The third set went back and forth and wasn’t controled by the Badgers until a 6-3 run to end the set that included a kill and ace by Orzol.

“I didn’t see a sense of panic when things were close in the third set," said Sheffield. "We were just playing volleyball and that is what you’ve got to do. You’re not expecting to pound away the entire match where you’re in a blowout.  They have pride and there’s a lot of good players on their side and a really good coaching staff as well.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin volleyball meets Sheffield's challenge in sweep of previously undefeated Washington