The Wisconsin women’s volleyball team (2-4 Big Ten, 14-5 Overall) will head to Nebraska to take on the No. 3 Huskers Friday night and then to Iowa Saturday for a match against the Hawkeyes.
The Badgers split their series last weekend, falling to No. 25 Michigan State but turning around to sweep Michigan two days later.
Nebraska will be another tough foe for the Badgers, especially because of the Huskers’ home-court advantage at the Coliseum in Lincoln, Neb., where the crowd sits closer to the court than at most venues.
Junior defensive specialist Annemarie Hickey recognized the team improved this past weekend, noting Wisconsin’s fewer errors than the previous weekend.
“Our passing was a lot better,” Hickey said. “Our hitting improved and we were just controlling the ball a lot better than we have been.”
Hickey had a stellar weekend herself, averaging one ace per set. She believes that the biggest obstacle for the Badgers this weekend will be staying positive and realizing they have the ability to beat a ranked team.
That would be a big step for Wisconsin, which is 0-4 against ranked opponents this season.
The Badgers lead the Big Ten in digs and blocks per set, and they sit atop the conference with Nebraska in averaging 2.78 blocks per set. Friday’s match could ultimately come down to whichever team takes advantage of its block opportunities in the Coliseum.
Although Nebraska is the headliner for this weekend it’s important for the Badgers to approach their match against Iowa with the same intensity, as the Hawkeyes are coming off a win against No. 17 Purdue. Wisconsin will need to avoid coming out flat in that match.
“We have to come out and control the first two sets,” senior middle blocker Alexis Mitchell said.
That’s something the Badgers have failed to do recently, dropping the first two sets against both Ohio State and Michigan State before finding their groove in the third set. Hopefully for Wisconsin, the roles will reverse this weekend.
