Wisconsin Volleyball’s Impressive NCAA Tournament Debut: Breaking Down The Fairfield Victory

The University of Wisconsin Volleyball team made their NCAA Tournament debut on Thursday, December 1st, with a convincing 3-0 sweep over the Fairfield University Stags. The Badgers dominated the match from start to finish, winning by scores of 25-13, 25-17, and 25-15.

A Dominant Performance

Wisconsin put on a dominant performance in all aspects of the game. They hit .432 as a team, while holding Fairfield to a .088 hitting percentage. The Badgers also had a 10-2 advantage in blocks and a 36-20 advantage in digs.

Junior outside hitter Sarah Franklin led the way for Wisconsin with 14 kills. Senior middle blocker Dana Rettke added 12 kills and 5 blocks, while sophomore outside hitter Grace Loberg had 11 kills.

Unstoppable Offense

One of the keys to Wisconsin’s success was their unstoppable offense. The Badgers had a variety of hitters who could attack from all over the court. Franklin, Rettke, and Loberg were all able to put the ball away consistently, and they also had contributions from senior setter Sydney Hilley and junior libero Lauren Barnes.

Fairfield had no answer for Wisconsin’s offense. The Stags tried to slow down the Badgers by double-teaming Rettke, but Wisconsin was able to adjust and find other ways to score.

Strong Defense

In addition to their strong offense, Wisconsin also played a strong defensive game. The Badgers held Fairfield to a low hitting percentage and forced the Stags into a number of errors.

Senior libero Lauren Barnes led the way for Wisconsin with 15 digs. Hilley added 10 digs, while Rettke and Franklin each had 5 blocks.

Wisconsin’s defense was particularly effective in the third set. The Badgers held Fairfield to a .000 hitting percentage in the set and forced the Stags into 8 errors.

Implications for the Future

Wisconsin’s victory over Fairfield was an impressive start to their NCAA Tournament run. The Badgers showed that they are a team to be reckoned with on both sides of the court.

Wisconsin will now face the winner of the match between the University of Minnesota and the University of Northern Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The match will be played on Friday, December 2nd, at the UW Field House.

If Wisconsin can continue to play at the same level that they did against Fairfield, they have a good chance of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Conclusion

Wisconsin Volleyball’s NCAA Tournament debut was a resounding success. The Badgers dominated the match from start to finish, and they showed that they are a team to be reckoned with.

Wisconsin will now face a tougher challenge in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but they will be confident in their ability to win. If they can continue to play with the same intensity and execution that they did against Fairfield, they have a good chance of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.