MADISON, Wis. – After winning the first two sets, the No. 7 Wisconsin volleyball team held off a surge from Ohio State to win Wednesday night’s five-set thriller 25-23, 25-14, 21-25, 24-26, 15-12. .

Sara Franklin recorded a conference season high with 25 kills as the team hit .261 on the night (72 kills – 26 errors – 176 attempts). Anna Smrek And Carter Booth both added 11 kills, while Julia Orzol rounded murders in double digits out of 10.

Ohio State hit .201 (62 – 28 – 169) on the night, while Grace Egan finished with 22 kills.

Charlie Fuerbringer recorded a new career-high with 59 assists while being just one step away from a double-double. Although Lola Schumacher was back in the lineup tonight, she stepped into the starting defensive specialist role as Saige Damrow stayed with libero. Damrow led the team with 21 digs and Schumacher added 10.

The Badgers (22-6, 15-3 B1G) and Buckeyes (14-15, 7-12 B1G) went back and forth in the first set with 12 ties and six lead changes. Ohio State created some distance with a 4-0 run to take a 16-12 lead. But the Badgers responded with a 4-0 run of their own, including a Schumacher service ace. The Badgers continued to chip away to eventually reach 19. The Buckeyes regained the lead with an Emily Londot kill, but followed it with consecutive errors, giving UW a 21-20 lead and prompting a Buckeye timeout. From the break, OSU scored three straight points as Wisconsin called a timeout trailing 21-23. The Badgers tied the score again (23-23) with two straight points when OSU called a timeout. Wisconsin scored the next two points and won 25-23.

After all the ties and lead changes in set one, Wisconsin set the tone in set two, taking a 13-6 lead. The Badgers maintained a steady lead throughout the set as OSU came close by just five points. UW won set two 25-14.

Charlie Fuerbringer started set three with an ace, but then the Buckeyes went on a 5-1 run and extended their lead to 7-3 to force a UW timeout. The Badgers brought it back within three (12-9), but OSU quickly put an end to that. OSU went on a 5-0 run to take a nine-point lead (21-12). The Badgers didn’t back down and came back on an 8-2 run to force an OSU timeout when UW trailed 20-23. Ohio State closed it out 25-21.

Set four went back and forth as the teams traded points. OSU held a 15-13 lead heading into the media timeout. Sara Franklin and Grace Egan went kill-for-kill to push the Buckeyes ahead 19-16, prompting a Wisconsin timeout. Wisconsin came right back with a 5-1 run, including a service ace from Damrow, three kills and a block, giving Wisconsin a 21-20 lead. After the Badgers earned match point thanks to a Fuerbringer kill, OSU scored the final three points to take the victory 26-24.

It was all tied at five points in the final set before Wisconsin took a 9-5 lead when Ohio State called a timeout to regroup. Rylee Rader for the Buckeyes scored consecutive kills to bring it within two (12-10), but Franklin and CC Crawford post two kills to set up a match point. OSU held off one match point before Wisconsin sealed the deal with a block of Devyn Robinson and Orzol to win it 15-12.

The Badgers continued to have trouble serving, as they committed nine service errors that night, but added five aces. UW defeated OSU 10.0-8.0, with Smrek leading the way with five blocks.

 

Straight from the court

Head Coach Kelly Sheffield
About the overall match: “I just thought that was a great Big Ten game. Two teams going at it, and competing and fighting, and they’re both teams that are just tough and tough. I thought we struggled with some of their hitters.” “
When determining: “I’m really proud of the effort our team played with tonight and you know, I thought there was a lot of grit on display from the players.”

Right side Anna Smrek

About a good mindset in the fifth set
“I would say the most important thing I tell myself is that it is level. The playing field has been leveled. It is almost a brand new game. You try to get to fifteen, eight first. You have to let go of the past and any mistakes – it’s a new set. You just have to go for it.”

Outside Julia Orzol

That her parents were in town from Poland to see her play
“It’s so cool because they’ve been a part of it for four years. They hear all the stories since every day we have a chance to talk. For them to be able to put an image on all the faces and this place, that’s the biggest thing. “

Middle blocker CC Crawford

About having experienced players in five-set matches
“I think experience helps. I think when you get to those five set matches, take it point by point, because you’re playing against great teams, you’re going to get their swing and we’re going to get ours.”

Notes to know

• Wisconsin reached double figures for the seventeenth time this season. Wisconsin defeated the Buckeyes 10.0-8.0.
• First year setter Charlie Fuerbringer totaled 59 assists and approached a double-double with nine digs. The 59 assists are the most assists in a five-set match this season.
• Outside hitter Sara Franklin recorded 25 kills against Ohio State tonight. This is the sixth match in which she has scored 20 or more kills in a match this season, and the 26th match with double-digit kills.
• Libero Saige Damrow equaled a career-best 21 digs. She achieved the same feat on November 20 against Minnesota.
• Freshman Lola Schumacher returned to action after missing the last three games due to injury. Schumacher served as a defensive specialist.
• Wisconsin improves to 4-0 in five-set matches.

Next

The Badgers close out regular season play Saturday night against Michigan State on the Big Ten Network. The competition starts at 8 p.m., followed by a senior party.