The Wisconsin Badgers just took down the No. 1 Nebraska Huskers in straight sets. The No. 1 team has now gone down in two consecutive weeks. Wisconsin extended its win streak over Nebraska to NINE matches. It is the first time Wisconsin has taken down the top-ranked team in the nation since 1997, and the first time beating the No. 1 team in straight sets in program history. What a huge statement for the Wisconsin Badgers.
The Badgers hit .324 in the third set against a defense that led the nation in opponent hitting percentage. Sarah Franklin responded to a tough outing against Michigan where she was pulled out of the match with one of her best performances this season. She worked the entire court, posting 21 kills on .381 hitting for a fantastic outing. On top of that performance, the Wisconsin serve was so tough tonight, putting pressure on Nebraska right out of the gates. They limited errors and had stellar defense both at the net and in the back court.
FRANK THE TANK 🗣️🗣️
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) October 27, 2022
Sarah Franklin leads the way for @BadgerVB with 21 kills and a .381 hitting to SWEEP No. 1 Nebraska!#NCAAWVB pic.twitter.com/d6pQrqj34s
The Badgers were the first to 20 in the third when Nebraska started to chip away one by one. Whitney Lauenstein went back to the service line and the Huskers looked to go on a big run, but Franklin again sent a bullet cross-court to squash any hope of a comeback. Bekka Allick, the Nebraska freshman phenom, picked up two in a row out of the middle for the Huskers but Wisconsin again responded. Julia Orzol tooled one off the block and Danielle Hart registered a kill to pick up match point. Ally Batenhorst fought one off, but Hart found the perfect spot across the net and secured the sweep.
The Badgers have extended their winning streak to nine-straight matches this season, and have added a huge win over the No. 1 team in the nation. Overall, a huge statement for Wisconsin. The Badgers will likely surge in the rankings next week. They still have another top-10 opponent this week — a date with Minnesota on Saturday. The Badgers will look for redemption after getting swept by Minnesota earlier this season.
Swept away No. 1 🧹#NCAAWVB x 🎥 IG/badgervb pic.twitter.com/uJxPsqkfi9
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) October 27, 2022
