After starting out the Big Ten season 2-0 last weekend, No. 20 Wisconsin (10-3) hits the road to face No. 14 Michigan State (1-1 Big Ten, 9-3 overall) on Friday and Michigan (1-1, 9-4) on Saturday night.
The Badgers beat Northwestern and Illinois at home last weekend and do not think that playing at Michigan will affect them.
\I think it's easier to focus on the road because there's a lot of down time, there's a lot of time to think about who you're playing. When you're home there are a lot of distractions,"" senior libero and outside hitter Lisa Zukowski said.
Although the team finished strongly in both games last weekend, they have been working to perfect the basics of the game-serving, blocking and hitting.
""We've been working a lot on pursuing balls on defense and we've really been working on serving because we are a tough team, we just have to be consistent,"" sophomore outside hitter Aubrey Meierotto said.
For the Badgers, consistency seems to be the key to maintaining a winning record in the Big Ten.
""If we're consistent with our ball control, which means our serve/receive and our defense, we can beat teams,"" Head Coach Pete Waite said. ""As one of the smaller teams in the Big Ten, if we don't have that then it's hard to match up with the taller teams.""
In fact, one of the main challenges the Badgers face against the Spartans is a height disadvantage. Michigan State is one of the tallest teams in the Big Ten. Nine of their players reach over 6'1"".
""I expect to see a pretty quick offense, tough blocking,"" Zukowski said. ""They're going to come out pretty fired up because they lost to Penn State in five last weekend, so we're just going to have to match that. If we can get them by the block then hopefully their defense will break down and that will be our break.""
Saturday's game will have a different feel for the Badgers. Michigan is a smaller team, like UW, and quick. If Wisconsin can come out as fired up on Saturday as they will on Friday and avoid early service errors, they should be able to keep Michigan out of its offense.
Coach Waite is also anticipating the strong play of Aubrey Meierotto after her performance last week. Meierotto had a career-high 24 kills, 54 attempts and six blocks against Northwestern last Friday.
""She's been doing great and hopefully as the season goes on in the Big Ten her body will stay healthy and she'll just keep getting better and better, because in the previous two years she hasn't had a lot of court time,"" Waite said. ""Every time she gets on the court she experiences something new and she seems to be doing great things with every opportunity she gets.""
The teams that the Badgers play are going to have to prepare for two lineups this weekend. Zukowski, who normally plays libero, was switched to outside hitter last Friday, helping the Badgers come back to defeat the Wildcats. The lineup the Badgers use will come down to a game-time decision.
