Continue to roll

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Another fierce defensive performance was the key for the Wisconsin volleyball team as the fourth-ranked Badgers (20-2, 11-1) downed Indiana (14-10, 5-7) in three sets Saturday night at the University Gym in Bloomington, Indiana.

The 25-18, 25-15, 25-18 victory marks 25 straight set wins for the Badgers. Wisconsin has also won 11 consecutive matches in the Big Ten Conference, holding on to its spot at the top of the conference with an 11-1 record.

The Badgers outblocked the Hoosiers 12-8 behind senior Dominique Thompson’s seven blocks. Junior Taylor Morey led the team with 10 digs in a defensive effort that held Indiana to a .000 (26 kills, 26 errors,  91 attempts) hitting percentage, the lowest of all Wisconsin opponents this season.

Thompson tallied a team-best nine kills, followed by freshman Kelli Bates and senior Ellen Chapman with eight and seven, respectively.

“We didn’t play well, we didn’t play to the standards we hold for ourselves,” UW head coach Kelly Sheffield said. “We don’t really look too much into the scores or the wins and losses, we try to play the game the right way. I thought at times we were getting a little bit angry instead of fixing things.

“I guess the positive is that you play pretty poorly and still come out with a 3-0 win on somebody’s else’s court.”

The Hoosiers struggled at the net in the final set, hitting a negative .080 (9-11-25) after being outblocked 6-3 by the Badgers. Bates, Thompson and Chapman each tallied two kills as the team hit .200 (8-4-20). 

“We’ve played some good volleyball recently, we’ve been a team that’s been pretty consistent in our effort and how we’ve played,” Sheffield said. “Maybe it’s a little bit unfair that you’re getting on them for having a match where everybody was pretty poor but that’s what you do as coaches. Tonight wasn’t really pretty and we’ve got to sit on that for a long week, and maybe that’s ok so we can get refocused for the Michigan schools.”