TAMPA, Fla. — The Wisconsin volleyball 2023 campaign came to an end, as it fell 22-25, 25-20, 13-25, 16-25 to Texas in the National Semifinals on Thursday night.
After a back and forth start to the first set, the Badgers fell behind by as many as five, as they trailed 17-12. Texas and UW traded a few points until the Badgers went on a 4-0 run with two blocks from CC Crawford and Anna Smrek to tie it up at 20-all. Texas closed it out on two kills to take the first set 25-22.
After a bit of a rocky start in set one, the Badgers came out firing in set two. A UW 7-0 run, including three kills from Smrek, gave Wisconsin a 15-7 lead. Texas battled back to bring it within one (16-15), but a few points later the Badgers went on another quick run to put Wisconsin ahead 23-18. The Badgers took the set 25-20 on a block from Sarah Franklin and CC Crawford.
Wisconsin struggled out of the gate on both sides of the net in the third. Texas took command, going on an 11-0 run to make it 15-3. The deficit was too large for the Badgers to overcome, as they fell 25-13 in the third set.
After a tight start to the final set, Texas took an 11-4 lead after a 6-0 run. Wisconsin could not dig out of the hole and lost the final set 25-16 and close out the season.
Franklin and Smrek led the Badgers with 13 kills apiece, as Temi Thomas-Ailara added nine. The Badgers hit .223 (42 kills – 15 errors – 121 attempts).
Outside hitter Madisen Skinner earned match-high honors with 18 kills. The Longhorns hit .274 (57 – 20 – 135).
The Badgers outblocked Texas 10 to six, as Crawford led the team with seven.
Texas recorded 11 service aces, compared to the Badgers’ four. UW also finished with 11 service errors.
MJ Hammill and Izzy Ashburn put up 19 and 12 assists, respectively. Gulce Guctekin finished with a team-high 13 digs.
Wisconsin finishes the 2023 season with a 30-4 record.
Straight from the court
Head Coach Kelly Sheffield
On the team overall: “I don’t want to be somebody that says you got to win a championship or it’s a lost season. I don’t want to be in this profession if that’s what it is and that’s what our players are feeling. We don’t talk about that. We talk about trying to play our best, trying to…
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