After starting the Big Ten schedule with two straight losses to Ohio State (4-0 Big Ten, 14-0 overall) and Penn State (2-1, 11-1) , the Wisconsin volleyball team (2-2, 8-4) seems to have righted the ship with wins against Northwestern last week and an upset on Sunday, beating No. 19 Illinois 3-1 (30-28, 25-30, 30-24, 30-22..
Last week against Northwestern, sophomore setter Katie Lorenzen stepped up and recorded 37 assists for the Badgers-her best mark of her career. This week saw continued improvement from the sophomore as she set big marks again. Lorenzen totaled nine digs, the first two service aces of her career and 61 assists, nearly doubling her previous career best.
\Katie did a very good job keeping my sets high enough and giving me a lot of options. She just knows timing very well. She knows when to set me,"" senior outside hitter Jill Odenthal said of the sophomore's standout performance. ""I had a significant number of single one-on-ones, and that really is huge when I see that.""
Young talent seemed to be the theme of the day as freshman middle blocker Taylor Reineke totaled nine blocks-over half of the Badgers' total of 16.5 for the match-and also had nine kills in the match.
As if career-highs from two young players were not enough, sophomore outside hitter Maria Carlini decided to join in on the fun and posted a career-high 13 kills. Carlini was one of four Badgers with double-digit numbers in kills, along with Odenthal, junior outside hitter Aubrey Meierotto and junior middle blocker Shelia Shaw.
Although the underclassmen were able to step up, the established leadership of the team did not disappoint with their performances. Shaw recorded 19 kills for a .426 hitting percentage while Odenthal contributed 14 kills of her own. Illinois seemed overwhelmed as the Badgers out blocked (16.5-8.5) and out-hit (32 percent-25 percent) the Illini.
""Our hitters' hitting percentages were really high,"" Head Coach Pete Waite said. ""And that's a real credit to Katie and the balls she was giving them. They've been having a little trouble getting a real good rhythm, and we've got four players with over a dozen kills with high hitting percentages.""
The stellar play from Wisconsin's younger members seems to be an ingredient for success. With two straight losses against Big Ten competition, the Badgers seemed to be floundering. The discovery of Lorenzen while battling Northwestern was a great help to the Badgers. And now, with even more young talent emerging, the Badgers seem like they have created a swell to ride upon for the upcoming matches against Big Ten schools for the rest of the season until the NCAA Tournament comes around in December.
As for the immediate future, the Badgers will begin a flurry of Big Ten play on the road, taking on the Golden Gophers of Minnesota Oct. 8 followed by the Iowa Hawkeyes Oct. 9.
