After losing three matches in a row for the first time since 1995, the No. 23 UW volleyball team (10-6 Big Ten, 18-9 overall) hopes to rebound this weekend on the road against Ohio State (4-12 Big Ten, 10-14 overall) and No. 16 Big Ten leader Penn State (13-3 Big Ten, 24-4 overall).
\As a staff, we're trying to make sure that they're fresh going into this next weekend,"" said Head Coach Pete Waite. ""It's been a long season. They've had a lot of five-game matches, and we want to make sure they're rested and feeling good about getting on the court to play. They've been doing some great things all year, and I know we'll get out against Ohio State and go hard at them.""
With four games left in the regular season, the Badgers are currently tied with Michigan State for fourth place in the conference. Wisconsin is likely out of the running for the Big Ten title but still has the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament. The 64-team bracket comes out Sunday, Nov. 30.
""We're hoping to have a good seed in the tournament and make a long run,"" Waite said. ""The best teams have to be pushing hard at the end of the year. The real tough ones will be in there at the end.""
In Wisconsin's first meeting with Ohio State this season, Oct. 25, Wisconsin won 3-1. Ohio State has struggled, with only four conference victories, and is tied for ninth place in the Big Ten. Junior outside hitter Stacey Gordon, Ohio State's all-time career leader in kills, is the main force the Badgers will have to contend with.
""Gordon is an amazing player, who is one of the best in the nation and, in my opinion, the best in the Big Ten,"" Waite said. ""She gets a lot of sets, and we have to try to slow her down.""
UW will also take on the Penn State Nittany Lions this Saturday in hopes to cut into Penn State's one match lead in the conference over Minnesota and Illinois. The Badgers won the last meeting between the two teams in a five-game match Oct. 24 in Madison.
The Nittany Lions look to sophomore setter Sam Tortorello, last week's Big Ten Player of the Week, to keep them atop the conference standings.
""She's very consistent, [a] good setter and she's very smart,"" said UW junior outside hitter Jill Odenthal. ""We'll definitely have a tough time trying to pick apart her offense.""
The Badgers will continue to look to a variety of sources to keep them going down the stretch. Sophomore middle blocker Sheila Shaw leads the team in hitting percentage (.305),?? service aces (47) and blocks (84). Odenthal has a .303 hitting percentage, which is second on the team and senior setter Morgan Shields leads the Badgers with 1,381 assists and ranks third in the Big Ten with 13.4 assists per game. For UW to be victorious this weekend, they are going to need contributions from all three of these players in addition to solid role playing by the rest of the squad.
Following this weekend's road trip, the Badgers will be back home for the final two regular season matches of the year. They will host the Indiana Hoosiers Nov. 28 and the Purdue Boilermakers Nov. 29 for UW's Senior Night.
