INSIDE VOLLEYBALL BY DIANE NORDSTROM @BadgerVBall SCHEDULE (13-4, 1-3)
Last Week Sept. 28 #1 Penn State Sept. 29 #22 Ohio State
This Week Friday
Sunday Michigan at Iowa
L, 0-3 L, 1-3
#25 Michigan St. 7 p.m. 1 p.m.
Up Next Oct. 12 at #6 Nebraska Oct. 13 Oct. 17 Oct. 19
at #10 Minnesota Indiana
7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
Sophomore Ellen Chapman has been the Badgers' kill leader most of the season.
Lessons learned: UW
Penn State and No. 22 Ohio State last weekend, Wiscon- sin lost both matches while struggling as a team. "We were fighting each
W
other more than we were fighting the opponent ...," said UW coach Pete Waite, "and we had to just come
48 » VARSITY OCTOBER 4, 2012
hen the Badgers played top-ranked
needs to step up play Big Ten slate challenges Badgers to improve
back and totally turn things around and part of that was just our frame of mind." The Badgers rallied late in the match against the Buck- eyes but it wasn't enough as UW fell in four sets. So what does Wisconsin need to do to get back on the winning track? "You talk to them about
leaving it behind you and just mov- ing forward and improving your own game," explained Waite. "Some of the teams will obviously bring out your weak areas and you need to improve a little bit more. But give (the players) a positive feeling and make sure they're healthy and happy and come to play." The Badgers have to be ready
to play this weekend as they face No. 25 Michigan State, their fourth-straight ranked opponent.
Badger block! » Despite losing both matches on the weekend, Wisconsin outblocked both ranked opponents, averaging 3.43 blocks per set on the weekend. The Badgers outblocked No. 1 Penn State 8.5 - 8.0 and No. 22 Ohio State 15.5 - 9.0. UW was led by senior Alexis Mitchell, who averaged an im- pressive 2.0 blocks per set on the weekend. The 6-0 middle blocker recorded a match-high six blocks against the Nittany Lions and a match-high eight blocks, including two solos, against the Buckeyes.
