NCAA Women
November 10, 2024
Wisconsin reinserted itself into the Big Ten race, not only dealing Penn State its first conference loss, but acing the “eye test.”
In front of a boisterous capacity crowd of 7,229 at Wisconsin Field House and a national television audience on NBC, the No. 7 Badgers (18-5, 12-2 Big Ten) could not have looked more dominant in blowing out the No. 3 Nittany Lions (23-2, 13-1) 25-23, 25-12, 25-13 on Saturday afternoon.
The statistical disparity was startling. Wisconsin recorded 19 blocks to zero for Penn State. The Badgers hit an eye-popping .465 (with two errors) to the Nittany Lions’ .117 (with 22 miscues).
Their performance while knocking off one of the two Big Ten unbeatens (Nebraska is the other) was a 180-degree turn from the Badgers’ stinging three-set loss in Madison last weekend to their red-hot rivals, the Cornhuskers.
Asked during the postmatch TV interview what he learned about his team from this match, Wisconsin Coach Kelly Sheffield quipped, “We need to play on NBC more often.”
In other highlights in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball on Saturday, Nebraska kept its Big Ten “0” intact by cruising…
