The Wisconsin Badgers had a disappointing start to the week, as they lost their first game at home to the Washington Huskies on Friday evening in a five-set thriller.
It was an unfortunate outcome for the Badgers, as they had won two straight after their loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. While being ranked at No. 6 in the AVCA Top 25, the Badgers were considered the No. 4 team by the NCAA committee in their initial Top 16.
So, it was a good sign that Wisconsin was able to bounce back on Sunday afternoon,
beating the Michigan Wolverines 3-1 at the Field House. It wasn’t a great start for the Badgers, who fell 25-20 in the first set, but Wisconsin won 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 to secure the 3-1 win.
The Badgers hit .402 compared to Michigan’s .296, as Decelise Champion hit the 20-kill mark to lead the Badgers. It was a very strong offensive day for Wisconsin, while Michigan hit well in defeat also.
There were a lot of quality performances in this one, as the Badgers had multiple players with double-digit kills, 5+ blocks, and 8+ digs.
It was the first time this season Wisconsin hit over .400 as they had 60 kills as a team. After the game, head coach Kelly Sheffield lauded the team’s attacking efforts.
“We can be an elite attacking team. I think our players have confidence, and they’re working on expanding their toolbox. There’s work that’s going on with our players and coaches,” Sheffield said via UW Communications.
Wisconsin will now head to the West Coast to face USC Trojans on Friday and UCLA Bruins on Sunday on a two-game road trip.
