Wisconsin struggles against No. 1 Texas | Wisconsin Badgers (2024)

Badgers fall in four sets

Box Score

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — All too familiar from last December in Tampa, Fla., the No. 3 Wisconsin volleyball team lost in four sets to No. 1 Texas 28-30, 25-23, 15-25, 11-25 in the first match of the State Farm Women's College Volleyball Showcase held atFiserv Forum on Sunday afternoon.

As expected, the first set was a back and forth battle, bringing 16 ties and four lead changes. Wisconsin created some distance with a block from Anna Smrek and Devyn Robinson, taking a 13-9 lead. But a service run from Madisen Skinner tied it up at 13 apiece. A kill from Sarah Franklin sided out UW, but Texas responded yet again with another 4-0 run. Wisconsin regained the lead with a 7-1 run to grab a 21-18 lead. A successful challenge by the Longhorns at 27-27 switched the momentum in what was first called as a kill by Devyn Robinson, then changed to replaying the point because the Texas liberogot under the ball for a no floor touch.Wisconisn looked to get the next two points, but ultimately fell in the set, 28-30.

Set two was a set of runs. Texas got out to a hot start, as they stole an 8-4 lead, fueled by a 6-2 run. Wisconsin continued to chip away, until a 4-0 run by the Badgers led to a Longhorn timeout, as UW led 12-11. The two teams traded off runs. Two kills from Trinity Shadd-Ceres and an ace from Charlie Fuerbringer gave the Badgers a 22-20 lead, from there Wisconsin closed it out with grit and won the second set 25-23 to tie the match at a set a piece.

Texas came out of the break swinging and took an early 6-2 lead. Three straight kills from Franklin pulled the Badgers within one (6-5), but Texas rolled from there and the Badgers were unable to overcome the deficit. The Longhorns won set three 25-15 and took a 2-1 lead in the match.

Wisconsin struggled to get anything going during the fourth set, as Texas hit .364 and took the final set, and the match 25-11.

Sarah Franklin had a match-high 25 kills (25-10-69). As a team, UW hit .153 (51 kills - 26 errors - 163 attempts).

Jenna Wenaas led the Longhorns with 18 kills. Texas hit .265 (60 kills - 17 errors - 162 attempts) on the day.

Charlie Fuerbringer put up 43 assists and 11 digs, for her first double-double of the season. Freshman Lola Schumacher led the team with 16 digs.

The Longhorns out-blocked the Badgers 10.5 - 9.0. Robinson led UW with four total blocks. Fuerbringer and Franklin tallied the two service aces for the Badgers.

Straight from the court

Notes to know

• The last time the Badgers started a season 0-2 was in 1993.
• 69 attempts in four sets by Franklin sets a school record. Franklin previously held the record, and recently broke on Aug. 27 against Louisville last week.
• With 43 assists and 11 digs, freshman Charlie Fuerbringer records her first double-double of her career.
• Texas now owns a 6-4 record over the Badgers overall.
• Freshman Lola Schumacher records her first double digit dig total with 16.
• .153 (51-26-163) marks back-to-back matches this season where Wisconsin was held under a .200 hitting percentage.
• Graduate Carley Anderson and freshman Maile Chan made their UW debut, entering in the third set.

Up next

The Badgers will return to action on Monday afternoon as they face Stanford in their second match of the State Farm Volleyball Showcase. First serve is set for 4 pm at the Fiserv Forum. The match will be aired on FOX.