(UW ATHLETICS) MADISON – The No. 7 Wisconsin volleyball team defeated the Michigan State Spartans in four sets (24-26, 25-21, 27-25, 25-20) at the UW Field House Thursday night.
Freshman Decelise Champion led the Badger offense with 17 kills, good for her 10th performance with double-digit kills. Jaela Auguste added 14 kills of her own on a .542 hitting percentage, also adding four blocks. Setter Charlie Fuerbringer dished out 45 assists and 10 digs, marking her 10th double-double this season and 27th of her career.
Wisconsin had a night from the service line, combining for eight aces in comparison to Michigan State’s two. The Badgers’ eight match their season-high and the fifth time they’ve tallied it thus far.
The Badgers (17-6, 11-2) and Spartans (17-6, 7-6) traded points to open the match, with the first set featuring 14 tied scores and eight lead changes. Wisconsin used a 7-2 run to grab a one point lead heading into the media timeout, with Champion chipping in three kills and a block assist in that frame.
The freshman turned in seven kills in the first frame, also chipping in an ace to bring the score within one at 24-23. But the Spartans used a 3-0 run from there to claim the set, 26-24.
Wisconsin found its rhythm in the second set, claiming six-straight rallies built off a setter dump from Fuerbringer and strong serving run from Flanagan who provided two aces in the stretch. The Badgers combined for a .375 clip in the set, while holding the Spartans to a .000 performance.
MSU found a late 4-0 scoring run late to cut the Badgers lead down to two, but Wisconsin held strong as a block from Auguste and Fuerbringer sealed the set 25-21 and leveled the match heading into the third.
The third set featured another 13 ties and four lead changes between the two teams, as Michigan built an early lead with a 5-1 run into the media timeout. Their momentum continued deep into the frame as the two traded two point runs to make it 19-18.
The teams continued to trade rallies down the stretch, before the Badgers used a 3-0 run to close out the set, 27-25.
From there, Wisconsin cruised to the four-set victory behind a pair of early 4-0 runs. Tarnow chipped in four straight Badger points thanks to two kills and two blocks to lift Wisconsin 15-9 early. The freshman finished the night with a match-high five blocks.
The Spartans rattled off five straight rallies, but the Badgers were able to close out the frame 25-20 thanks to a pair of late kills from Tarnow and Champion, earning a match victory, 3-1.
Notes:
- The Badgers extend it’s winning streak to 12-straight matches over Michigan State and improve to 61-27-1 all-time against the Spartans.
- Wisconsin’s offense was held to a sub .200 hitting percentage (.199/55-26-146) for just the fifth time this season. The last time UW hit under. 200 was against Nebraska on October 10.
- Tonight’s match marked just the second Big Ten match where the Badgers have been outblocked. The Spartans tallied 12.0 blocks while UW totaled 10.0. On October 10, Nebraska totaled nine to UW’s two.
- Since returning to action, senior Grace Egan had come in as a serving sub or defensive specialist. Against the Spartans, Egan played the front row for the first time since Florida on September 2.
- Middle blocker Jaela Auguste tallied her sixth match of the season with double-digit kills. Auguste totaled 14 kills on 24 swings with just one hitting error for a .542 hitting percentage.
- Freshman Decelise Champion once again led the Badgers with 17 kills for her 10th match with double-figure kills.
- Libero Anna Bardaro totaled 13 digs, her 17th match of the season with double-figure digs.
- Charlie Fuerbringer tallied her 27th career, and 10th of the season, double-double with 45 assists and 10 digs.
Up Next: Wisconsin closes out the weekend at home against No. 11 Penn State on Sunday, Nov. 8. First serve is slated for 3 p.m. with
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