Wisconsin volleyball: No. 5 Badgers rally after first set loss to beat No. 25 Wolverines 3-1

After a primary set loss, the No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers (9-1 Large Ten, 15-3 total), led by junior Devyn Robinson, recovered to win three-straight units and take a 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19) match win over the No. 25 Michigan Wolverines (4-6, 13-7).

The junior from Ankeny, Iowa had 17 kills, no errors and 4 blocks as UW discovered a means by way of a contact Michigan crew.

Robinson was a pressure from the beginning, with two straight kills that put the Badgers in entrance 17-12 within the first set.

However Michigan went on a pair of 4-0 runs to chop Wisconsin’s lead. The Wolverines have been led by Might Pertofsky and Jess Mruzik within the first set to win 25-22. Mruzik and Pertofsky had seven kills within the first set, however the shift for Michigan occurred by focusing on UW’s freshman libero Gülce Güçtekin on the service sport.

Within the second set, each groups traded early runs earlier than a Robinson kill then block gave UW a 15-13 lead they’d not quit. The Badgers held Michigan to hitting simply .107 within the second set after their huge first set, and sophomore Julia Orzoł closed out the set with a kill.

The third set was additionally full of runs. Michigan hit two aces whereas focusing on Gülce Güçtekin to take a 7-4 lead.

Shanel Bramschreiber got here in to serve and likewise obtained an ace that helped UW attain parity once more with the rating 7-7. However Michigan pushed effectively and ended up taking a 17-13 lead within the third set, in huge half thanks to 2 straight attacking errors from sophomore exterior hitter Sarah Franklin.

Franklin has been cold and hot for Wisconsin. The Michigan State switch is stuffed with expertise and energy, however has develop into error-prone. Franklin hit eight kills, however had six errors and solely hit .087. After her second attacking error, head coach Kelly Sheffield changed her with junior Jade Demps.

Demps’ arrival instantly made an affect for Wisconsin. Together with some back-to-back aces from Gülce Güçtekin, Demps notched her first kill of the night time to offer the Badgers a 5-0 run to go up 18-17. Robinson then got here up big within the closing 5 factors with a block and a hammering kill that clinched the set 25-22 for UW.

Within the fourth set, Demps stayed on the ground rather than Franklin and proved her inclusion. The junior from North Carolina completed the match with seven kills and only one errors in simply two units for a .462 hitting proportion.

Regardless of Güçtekin’s early struggles in serve-receive, she stole the present within the later units along with her greatest efficiency in a Badgers shirt. The freshman completed with a career-high 22 kills whereas posting six assists and people back-to-back aces. Her greatest second got here when she had three spotlight reel digs in a single level that was completed off by the on-fire Devyn Robinson.

One other huge level forward of the match was UW’s success on the block — which was once more highlighted by at this time’s match. The Badgers had 13 blocks to the Wolverines’ 6, with center blockers Danielle Hart and Caroline Crawford main the best way with six every.

Wisconsin’s response after going a set down was big for the Badgers, who remained in second place within the convention with the win.

Wisconsin has their most crucial stretch of the season thus far arising, with two house matches towards the No. 3 Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday and the No. 10 Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday.