(UW ATHLETIC) PISCATAWAY, NJ – The No. 9 Wisconsin volleyball team took care of business on the road, sweeping Rutgers 25-18, 25-14, 25-18, on Wednesday night.
Sarah Franklin led the Badgers (8-4, 2-1 B1G) offensively, with 12 kills, as the Badgers hit .370 (45 kills – 11 errors – 92 attempts) on the night.
Rutgers (5-9, 0-3 B1G) hit .140 (31 – 17 -100), as the Australia native, Alissa Kinkela, led the Scarlet Knights with 10 kills.
Wisconsin racked up seven service aces, with defensive players Gucle Guctekin and Lola Schumacher both chipping in two apiece. Charlie Fuerbringer put up 36 helpers to pair with four kills.
Schumacher had a match-high 16 digs. UW outblocked Rutgers 7.0-4.0, as CC Crawford tallied four
After a slow start and an early timeout from the Badgers, trailing 5-3, they responded with 6-0 run to force a Rutgers timeout. The Scarlet Knights sided out after the timeout, as the UW led 9-6. The Badgers maintained a steady lead, as Rutgers attempted to chip away, bringing it within two (17-15). UW put away three kills in a row to force a second Rutgers timeout. From there, UW closed out a set one victory, 25-18.
In a much more evenly matched set two, the teams battled back and forth until a kill from Sarah Franklin kicked off a 7-0 run for UW. Freshman Lola Schumacher tallied two service aces within that run. After a Rutgers side out, UW led 20-12. Back-to-back service aces from Gulce Guctekin inched the Badgers to a second set win, as a kill from Franklin clinched it, 25-14.
In the final set, Rutgers led early at 5-4, but a 3-0 run from UW put them ahead and they didn’t look back. Back-to-back kills from Anna Smrek gave Wisconsin a decisive three-point lead, and forced a Rutgers timeout as they trailed 13-10. Rutgers sided out after the timeout, but Wisconsin was right there with two kills and a block to silence the Scarlet Knights. The teams traded points back and forth, which wasn’t enough for Rutgers as the Badgers came out on top, 25-18.
Notes to know
- With the win tonight, head coach Kelly Sheffield reached his 300th career win at Wisconsin.
- For a fourth-straight match and 10th time this season, fifth year senior Sarah Franklin reached double-digit kills (12).
- Freshman Lola Schumacher 16 digs, and is the seventh time she reached double-digit digs this season.
- Middle blocker Carter Booth set a season-best .778 hitting percentage with seven kills, zero attack errors on nine attempts.
- In now three-straight matches, freshman Charlie Fuerbringer has chipped in with four kills.
- Wisconsin extends its streak over the Scarlet Knights to 17-straight. Since joining the Big Ten, Wisconsin has yet to fall to the Scarlet Knights.
Up next
After three on the road, the Badgers will return home for four home matches. UW will welcome new Big Ten opponent, Washington, to the UW Field House on Sunday afternoon. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on B1G+.
