The Badgers (4-10 Big Ten, 14-10 overall) struggled to finish opportunites off against the No. 6 Fighting Illini (12-1,20-3) Wednesday night as they fell in three sets. Despite the three-set result, the game featured 28 ties and nine lead changes.
Right-side hitter Julie Mikaelsen defended her Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor well in the match, contributing a career-high 16 kills and adding seven digs. Mikaelsen also recorded three blocks and one service ace. Despite the kills from Mikaelsen and sophomore middle-blocker Alexis Mitchell—who had eight on the night—the hitting percentage of .188 did not allow Wisconsin to keep pace with the Fighting Illini, who hit .274 on the night. Mitchell also added two blocks in the match. Defensively, senior libero Kim Kuzma chipped in a match-best 18 digs.
Junior outside hitters Colleen Ward and Michelle Bartsch led Illinois, recording 15 kills apiece. The Illini barely slipped by the Badgers as they finished with 49 kills and 49 assists, just ahead of UW's 45 and 43.
The score stayed tight throughout the first set, as the teams found themselves tied 12 times. After a kill by Mitchell, the Badgers were able to tie the game at 19, but the momentum then shifted to Illinois, who used a 6-0 run to take the match 25-19.
The second set remained as tight as the first, until Illinois found breathing room when a 3-0 run to made it 11-8. Mikaelsen stopped the Fighting Illini with a huge kill, and ensuing kills from Mitchell and freshman outside hitter Elise Walch brought the set to 13-13. Illinois was able to get up on the Badgers 23-18, but the Badgers did not go down without a fight, as Walch recorded three big kills late in the set. Wisconsin, though, could not close out the set, and fell 25-21.
The Badgers and Fighting Illini played yet another competitive set in the third, as there were four early ties. Illinois was able to go on a few runs and found themselves with a 22-15 lead. After a service error by Illinois and kill by Mikaelsen, the Badgers went on a late 6-0 run. Mikaelsen led the run, contributing four kills and Wisconsin found itself within one point at 22-21. A strategic timeout by Illinois stopped the Wisconsin run, but sophomore middle-blocker Mary Ording and Mitchell answered back with two kills to tie the score at 23-23. For a third and final time, though, the Badgers could not seem to hold off the Fighting Illini and lost 25-23.
Wisconsin travels to play Northwestern on Saturday at 7 p.m.
