The No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers bounced back after its loss to No. 3 Minnesota by beating the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines 3-2 on Saturday night.
Wisconsin trailed in the beginning points of the first set. Michigan had seven kills in the first 20 points. Wisconsin tied the game at 11-11 after a kill from Haleigh Nelson. Wisconsin played a solid offense and defense set after tying the game. The Badgers built a comfortable three point lead that was maintained for most of the first set. Michigan committed three errors in the last eight points of the set. Wisconsin won the set on a kill from Tionna Williams. The Badgers won 25-20.
Wisconsin recorded 16 kills for a .382 hitting percentage for the first set. Michigan recorded 12 kills with a .212 hitting percentage.
Wisconsin played a great offensive game in the second set. The first 20 points of the set were back and forth for both teams. Wisconsin’s offense went on a hitting rampage and shut the Wolverines down. The set was close for most of the action, though Wisconsin pulled away in the last 10 points of the game.
Wisconsin won the set 25-18 on an attack error from Michigan. Wisconsin hit 16 kills at a high accuracy of a .484 hitting percentage.
Michigan came out after the break and gave the Badgers’ a tough test.
Michigan’s defense forced Wisconsin to commit seven errors in the third set. Michigan took the lead quickly. Wisconsin called a timeout after the Wolverines went up 9-3. Wisconsin’s errors were too costly, though. Michigan kept the lead the rest of the set. Michigan won the set 25-17 on an attack error from Haleigh Nelson.
Michigan had 13 kills at a .321 hitting percentage. Michigan’s defense held Wisconsin to a .152 hitting percentage.
Wisconsin’s offense struggled in the fourth set. Michigan held Wisconsin to a .094 hitting percentage. Michigan led the fourth set the entire time. Michigan’s offense dominated the set. The team recorded 18 kills at a .359 hitting percentage. Michigan won the set 25-20, and all the momentum shift in favor of the Wolverines.
Both teams were on edge going in to the fifth set. Michigan took the lead 3-0, but Wisconsin retaliated by tying the game at 3-3. There were five game ties in the first sixteen points of the set. The game was tied at 8-8 and Wisconsin went on a 4-0 streak to extend its lead. Michigan managed to tie the game at 13-13 a few paces later. After a bad set by Michigan’s MacKenzi Welsh and a kill from Romana Kriskova, Wisconsin won the set 15-13.
With the win, Wisconsin Coach Kelly Sheffield recorded his 100th win with the Badgers, making him the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 wins. His record is 100-22 with Wisconsin.
Wisconsin moves to 7-1 in the Big Ten, and 15-2 overall. The Badgers travel to No. 2 Nebraska and Iowa next weekend to face more Big Ten opponents.
Photo courtesy of uwbadgers.com.