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MADISON, Wis. – The No. 7 Wisconsin volleyball team picked up its first win over a ranked opponent this season, sweeping No. 11 North Carolina, 25-21, 25-17, 25-19 during the final match of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at the UW Field House Saturday night.

Wisconsin (2-0) hit .361 (51 kills – 16 errors – 97 attempts) while holding North Carolina (0-2) to .146 (27-14-89), earning redemption from a hard-fought five-set loss against the Tar Heels a year ago.

The Badgers also held a major advantage in digs, earning 45 to the Tar Heel's 25.

Freshman Sydney Hilley earned her first career double-double. The setter accumulated 43 assists and 11 digs while adding four kills, two aces and two blocks. Fellow freshman middle blocker Dana Rettke hit a career-high .778 (15-1-18) and collected a match-high five blocks to pace the Badger offense.

Wisconsin also had great production from their upperclassmen. Junior Tionna Williams hit .643 (10-1-14) while adding two blocks. Senior Kelli Bates had a well-rounded performance with nine kills, seven digs and one block.
 

Quotables

Kelly Sheffield:
Opening statement: "This is a learning process that we're on. Let's keep learning and keep trying to find ways to get better.

"I thought one of the things we did a really good job with today, something we talked a lot about, was staying steady. Not trying to do too much, not trying to overthink or anything else like that. Just executing.

"We came out and missed six serves in the first set, but I thought that was because a big emphasis we had going into the match was trying to get them out of system. You try to do that with most teams but we really thought that was important tonight. I thought our kids were maybe trying to do a little too much from that part. Beyond that in the first set, I thought we played really well and I thought we did everything else at a really high level. I thought we continued that throughout the match.

"Both of our middles had really big matches and hit a pretty high percentage, but they got set a lot and that tells you that our ball control is pretty good. That was something I was happy to see. Defensively, I thought we were fantastic, we got 20 more digs and a few more blocks against a physical team like that. I think walking out with the teams that we played and to come out winning both of those, that's something we feel pretty good about."

On the program's depth:
"Certainly when you've got some injuries, that depth is going to help. The thing that I like is that people are ready. You see players that are ready and it's a good luxury to have."

Kelli Bates
On her changing role with all the new players:
"Yeah, I don't necessarily like being the oldest, but its pretty fun. My biggest role that I've come to know is that I have to be the most consistent and the most steady for the younger kids. When things start getting chaotic, I'm that person that keeps things 'steady Eddy.' That's where I'm at, that's what I've gotten to be pretty good at. I can still work on it, obviously my emotions are high in game, so the steadiness comes from knowing there are so many new people around me. That's what this team needs."

Tionna Williams
On her changing role with all the new players:
"I wouldn't say I'm in a different situation. Dana (Rettke) is doing great, obviously, I expected that from the start. From the minute she stepped on the court in practices, she plays with a confidence. You can see that transfer onto the court during matches.

"Just being one of the oldest now, it's my position and it's my role to be the one that she looks for whenever she needs help with something, but she's killing it. I'm handling my responsibilities and she's doing hers too."
 
Hot Potato

It was over when

The Badgers led the entire way through the first and second sets but North Carolina made it a close third set.

The Tar Heels took their first lead at 6-5 in the third period. Wisconsin took its largest lead of the set at 16-10 before UNC began its rally. A service ace and hitting error by UW made it just a two-point game at 18-16 but two kills from Tionna Williams put Wisconsin up 21-17.

Blocking was key late for the Badgers as Dana Rettke combined with Sydney Hilley and Kelli Bates for three blocks over four points. The blocks gave UW a 24-18 lead. UW missed its serve at match point but a service error by UNC gave Wisconsin the match.
 

Notables

• Sydney Hilley had a career high 43 assists tonight. She had a first career double-double with 11 digs. The 6-0 setter had a career-high two service aces.
• Sophomore Sarah Dodd had a career high eight digs.
• Redshirt sophomore Madison Duello had a career-high seven kills.
• Senior Kelli Bates went over 800 career kills on the weekend. The 5-11 outside hitter has 811 kills in her fourth season.
• Freshman Grace Loberg saw her first action in the Cardinal and White. The 6-3 outside hitter had two kills and one dig, playing in one set.

 

Up Next

Wisconsin takes to the road for the first time this season, traveling to Manhattan, Kansas, on Friday and Saturday for the K-State Invitational. The Badgers take on Syracuse and Arkansas on Friday before facing host Kansas State on Saturday.