For the third time in a row, the No. 2 Badgers (31-2 overall) defeated No. 18 Ohio State (23-12) in the NCAA tournament, giving them their third win against the Buckeyes this season. Unlike the past two contests, Ohio State pushed the Badgers to a fifth set after getting swept in their first two matchups.
The first set featured a back and forth battle between the Badgers and the Buckeyes in the early goings before UW began to pull away. With the game tied 4-4, senior outside hitter Courtney Thomas earned a huge kill for Wisconsin, starting a 5-0 run by the Badgers that was capped off by an ace by freshman outside hitter Haleigh Nelson.
Ohio State brought the set back within one at 16-15 before a kill by senior middle blocker Dominique Thompson, off a beautiful pass from sophomore setter Lauren Carlini, started another Badger run.
Wisconsin extended its lead to three before the Buckeyes again brought the game back within one. With the Badgers leading the set 21-20, Wisconsin went on a 4-0 run capped off by a Nelson kill to give the Badgers a 25-20 first-set victory.
Unfortunately for the Badgers, Ohio State jumped on them early in the second set. The Buckeyes started the set with an early 14-6 lead and continued to gradually build it until the Badgers made a run of their own.
With Ohio State leading the game 18-11, Wisconsin went on a 9-2 run to tie the game up at 20. Ohio State didn’t falter however, taking five of the next six points to win the second set 25-21.
The third set provided more back and forth action, as the two teams couldn’t separate themselves in the early going. Wisconsin found some wiggle room when a kill by Thompson following a long rally gave the Badgers a 14-11 lead.
Ohio State, however, came back strong and took a 16-15 lead. Ohio State and Wisconsin went back and forth until the Badgers took the lead again at 22-21 following a kill by Carlini.
The Badgers didn’t score another point in the set however, as Ohio State took the set 25-22.
Ohio State took an early lead in the fourth set but the Badgers kept it close. They eventually tied the game up at four following a block by Thomas and later built a three-point lead at 10-7.
The set stayed tight before an 18-16 Badger lead forced a timeout by Ohio State.
The Buckeyes then went on a run of their own to tie the game up at 23 and eventually at 24 once the Badgers had the opportunity for set point.
However, Wisconsin rallied back to take the fourth set 26-24 to set up a decisive fifth set.
Like the rest of the match, the fifth set went back and forth the entire time with no team having a lead larger than three. Wisconsin finally managed to pull away to win the set 15-12 and pull off a 3-2 victory.
The Badger offense was lead by Thomas, Bates and Chapman who had 13, 12 and 12 kills respectively, while Carlini recorded another double-double on the season with 17 digs and 43 assists.
Wisconsin advanced to the Elite Eight and will face the winner of UCLA and Penn State Saturday.
