Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball Ends Regular Season on a High Note, Sweeps Nebraska and Iowa

Coming off of a disappointing 2-2 road trip, the Wisconsin Badgers volleyball team returned to the Field House last weekend for their final two regular season matchups. A little bit of luster was wiped off of their Friday night showdown with No. 1 Nebraska, since the Huskers had already locked up the Big Ten title, but there was still the Revenge Factor and the Ruin Their Undefeated Season Factor at play. UW also played Iowa. Anyways, let’s talk about that Nebraska match!

Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball Sweeps Top-Ranked Nebraska

The Cornhuskers (27-1 overall, 18-1 Big Ten) rolled into Madison, owners of an undefeated record, a No. 1 ranking, a win over the Badgers from earlier in the year, and the 2023 Big Ten title in tow. Wisconsin, predictably, didn’t give a hoot about any of that and ended up absolutely dominating Nebraska in a three-set sweep, 25-22, 28-26, 25-16.

THIS.
Field House, you are INCREDIBLE 🫶 pic.twitter.com/LTHNLB7hgx

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) November 25, 2023

It was, quite frankly, a shocking result. The first matchup between these two teams went to five sets and most likely caused dozens of people to hyperventilate or pass out while watching. While the final score tells a different story, this one had all of the makings of another classic in the first two sets. UW found themselves down by as many as four in the first set and the teams were tied at 18 before Nebraska won the next point to take a 19-18 lead.

Three Sarah Franklin kills, a CC Crawford ace, one Anna Smrek kill, and a Nebraska error gave the Badgers four set points to play with. They almost needed all of them but, surprise, a Franklin kill ended the first stanza with UW winning by three.

In the second set, the Badgers often found themselves down by three points but hung around, fought off two Nebraska set points, and won the second set in extra points thanks to a Carter Booth smash. The third set was the most shocking portion of the match as it appeared that Nebraska had resigned themselves to their fate and Wisconsin took full advantage. UW held eight-point leads on three separate occasions and ended up taking the third, and final, set by nine points. This was the eighth straight time Wisconsin has beaten Nebraska at the Field House.

The block is hot. The block is HOT. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2ZydVjDytQ

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) November 26, 2023

The Wisconsin Badgers hit .357 (52 kills – 11 errors – 115 attempts) on the match and a wonderful .593 in the third set (17-1-27). Nebraska never hit over .300 in the match and actually had a worse hitting percentage in each successive set. They ended up at .243 (45-18-111) for the match. Per usual, Wisconsin outblocked their opponent (6-3 this time) and they also had five aces to Nebraska’s three. You may remember that UW had zero aces when the two teams played in Lincoln earlier this season.

Smrek had a match-high (and season-high) 18 kills while MJ Hammill picked up 25 assists and nine digs. The star of the show was Franklin, though. She had 16 kills and 12 digs to earn her seventh double-double of the year. Crawford had four blocks, Smrek had three, and Booth had two to lead the defense. Bergen Reilly had a double-double for UNL, recording 32 assists and 10 digs.

“The Big Ten is a dog fight all the time, every single match, and that’s a great team. I’m sure there will be a time when we see them again, and I think it just shows every night you have to be on in the Big Ten as a team,” Hammill said after the match.

These six have a left their mark on this program, forever.
Thank you for everything 🫶 pic.twitter.com/RcmQA3ES4V

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) November 26, 2023

Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball Defeats Iowa Hawkeyes

Wisconsin kept the good times rolling by sweeping Iowa, 25-21, 25-10, 25-16, on Saturday and then celebrating their six-woman senior class: Izzy Ashburn, Joslyn Boyer, MJ Hammill, Gabby McCaa, Sydney Reed, and Temi Thomas-Ailara. Of note, Reed announced earlier this week that she’ll be entering her name into the transfer portal as a grad transfer.

Franklin led the offense again with 14 kills, while Ashburn (19) and Hammill (17) distributed the ball well for UW. Booth and Crawford were menaces at the net as usual and Wisconsin had eight aces on the night (Ashburn, Reed, Boyer all had two).

She is her. 👑

Franklin named AVCA National Division I Player of the Week.

📝: https://t.co/MCG1TvDeUT pic.twitter.com/NW2tsxoZOq

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) November 28, 2023

For the first time since Jan. 2021, a Badger was named the AVCA Divisional Player of the Week. You may be shocked to hear that it was Sarah Franklin earning that award, but believe me, it was her! She tallied 30 kills and averaged 5.00 kills per set. Franklin also hit .329 (30-7-70), added three blocks, and 15 digs. She also, obviously, was named Big Ten Player of the Week.

Up next: NCAA TOURNEY TIME, BABYYYYYY! Wisconsin Badgers volleyball will host a regional at the UW Field House as the third overall seed and their tournament starts on Thursday, Nov. 30 against Jackson State at 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ and the other match in Wisconsin’s pod (Northern Iowa vs. Miami (Fla.)) will also be on ESPN+ on 5:00 p.m. CT. The winners will face off on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7:00 p.m. CT, also on ESPN+.

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