Badgers women’s volleyball sweeps Illinois

(UW Athletic Communications) MADISON, Wis. — A school record for blocks in a three set match, with 17.0 team blocks, propelled the No. 2 Wisconsin volleyball team to a 25-13, 25-13, 25-12 sweep over Illinois on Saturday night at the UW Field House. 

A kill from Temi Thomas-Ailara on the first point of the match ignited a 6-0 run for the Badgers, to take a commanding lead that Illinois could not overcome. A block from the duo of Carter Booth and Anna Smrek forced an Illinois timeout at 12-4. Illinois was able to cut the deficit back to six, at 17-11. From there UW only allowed two more points and they took the first set, 25-13. 

Set two was an identical outcome to the first, with the Badgers taking the set 25-13, After a kill from Smrek gave Wisconsin a 10-9 lead, Izzy Ashburn went back behind the line and ran nine serves. Devyn Robinson tallied three kills within that run. After an Illinois timeout, they finally sided out to make it 19-10. A few more points later, Julia Orzol ran five serves to finish out the set. Once again, Robinson tallied three kills within that stretch.

UW recorded 14 kills and 14 blocks in the final frame, including four kills apiece from Robinson and Sarah Franklin. An 8-0 run from the Badgers finished off the sweep, as MJ Hammill capped it with a service ace on match point, winning 25-12. 

Robinson came alive tonight as she led the team with 13 kills, hitting .684. Franklin, Smrek and Booth all added seven kills as well. Wisconsin hit .398 (40 kills – 7 errors – 83 attempts). 

The Badgers held the Illini to a new opponent low on hitting percentage, as they hit .000 (24 – 24 – 84). Raina Terry led the Fighting Illini with nine kills. 

Izzy Ashburn and MJ Hammill finished with 19 and 10 assists, respectively. Ashburn also had a team-high nine digs. 

Wisconsin shared the love on service aces tonight, with Orzol, Gulce Guctekin, Franklin, Ashburn and Hammill all recording an ace. 

The Badgers’ 17.0 team blocks set a school record for blocks in a three-set match. Booth led the team with 10 blocks, which ties second all-time in school history. Comparatively, Illinois totaled just 2.0 team blocks.