Box Score

MADISON, Wis. – The fifth-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team made quick work of Southern Miss, sweeping the Golden Eagles in the final match of the Badger Classic in the UW Field House on Saturday Night. The Badgers downed USM, 25-8, 25-10, 25-11, to go undefeated in the non-conference season.
 
The UW (9-0) offense was on fire, hitting a season-high .461 (40 kills – 5 errors – 76 attempts) which ties for the second best hitting percentage in program history. USM (9-6) struggled on offense, hitting negative .043 (22-26-92).
 
Senior Lauryn Gillis led the Badgers on offense with a match-high 11 kills. Kelli Bates and Dana Rettke added nine kills apiece.
 
On defense, the Badgers put up 10 blocks while not getting blocked for the first time this season. Rettke led all players with five blocks. Sydney Hilley, Nicole Shanahan and Grace Loberg all added four stops.
 
UW also out-dug the Golden Eagles 39-25 with libero M.E. Dodge earning a match-high nine digs.
 
The Badgers shined from the service line, collecting five aces with only two errors. Sydney Hilley, Kelli Bates, Mallory Dixon, Madison Duello and Dana Rettke each recorded one ace. UW did not give a service ace for the first time this season.
 

Quotable

"The thing I was telling the team downstairs that I thought we did a good job tonight was playing our game, and that's something that we discuss quite a bit in practices. Can you play the same way point after point after point, and not get caught up in the first point of the match or the last, whether you're beating someone handedly or its close. Can you play a clean game, one ball at a time? I think we did a good job at that.
 
"One of the things I've enjoyed about this weekend has been hearing stories about the Southern Miss head coach (Amanda Berkley), a former Badger. And hearing about her experience here and hearing about her.
               
"A player that just came to a tryout here. And not just a player that made the team, but one who was a starter and had a big role on some really good teams. I just think that's a heck of a story.
 
"I was telling these guys that we're over pre-conference and we're right back into Big Ten play, and that's got to get our attention."
 
- Head coach Kelly Sheffield
 
"We still have a whole week of practice left to get ready for Michigan State. But we've been working hard in practice and I think we played pretty clean through most of our matches."
 
- Junior captain Amber MacDonald
 
"I think we're in a good place after pre-season, but we'll have to improve every week and every day because the competition is just going to get better and better."
 
- Redshirt sophomore Madison Duello
 

9-0, baby!

BADGERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/aGjj8iPVpr

— Wisconsin Volleyball (@BadgerVB) September 17, 2017

Notables

• The Badgers are off to their best season opening since 2010 with a 9-0 record.
• Redshirt sophomore Madison Duello hit a match-high .714 (5-0-7).
• As a team, UW recorded a season best hitting percentage of .461 (40-5-76). The Badgers had no errors until late in the second set.
• It was the first match this season that Wisconsin did not allow an ace.
• Freshman Grace Loberg had a career-high four blocks.
• Freshman Nicole Shanahan earned her second straight start and tied her career high with two kills.
• Sophomore Mallory Dixon tied her career best with one service ace.
• Thirteen Badgers saw action on the court, including transfer Tiffany Clark, who saw her first action in the Cardinal and White. The 5-11 defensive specialist had five digs and three assists.

 

Up next

Wisconsin opens Big Ten Conference play on Friday at the UW Field House, taking on No. 23 Michigan State at 7 p.m. The Badgers will be celebrating the 26^th-annual Steve Lowe night, a night honoring the former UW head coach and his many contributions to the program.