NCAA Womens Volleyball

Badgers edge Illinois in five-set thriller

Indiana

MADISON, Wis. – After trailing 2-1 in the match, the eighth-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team needed to push the match to five sets in order to beat Illinois on Sunday afternoon in the UW Field House. The Badgers did just that, coming from behind to down the Fighting Illini, 25-27, 25-20, 22-25, 25-19, 15-5. 
 
The Illini (7-7, 2-2) started the match strong, taking the first set in extra points (27-25). After Wisconsin (9-3, 3-1) won the second set, Illinois took the lead in the match with a win in the third set.

Trailing by as many as five points (8-3) in the fourth set, UW rallied to tie the period at 10 after winning a crucial challenge. The Badgers pulled away late, breaking a 16-16 tie with three-straight points to lead 19-16. Another 3-0 run put UW up 22-17, an advantage Illinois couldn’t overcome, to send the match to a fifth set.

In the fifth set, Devyn Robinson had three kills and teamed with Danielle Hart on a block to put Wisconsin up 7-4. Illinois struggled with its attacking the rest of the set, hitting a negative .300 percent for the period, as the Badgers cruised to a 10-point win.

 

Wisconsin hit .234 (62 kills-22 errors-171 attempts) while holding Illinois to .139 (58-33-180). Sarah Franklin led the Badgers with 15 kills followed by Robinson with 14 putaways while hitting .423.

 

Four players had double-digit digs with Gulce Guctekin leading all players with a…

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