KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The No. 3 Wisconsin volleyball team saw its season come to a conclusion in the NCAA National Semifinals versus No. 1 Kentucky (25-12, 22-25, 25-21, 24-26, 13-15) in a five-set thriller.
AVCA National Player of the Year finalist Mimi Colyer led the way with a career-best 32 kills on a .348 hitting percentage. The senior racked up her 10th double-double of the season as well, chipping in 12 digs. Fellow All-American Carter Booth joined her at a .633 swing percentage (21 – 2 – 30), accumulating the most kills in her career in her final collegiate match.
Charlier Fuerbringer and Una Vajagic each finished with double-doubles, too. Fuerbringer dished out a career-best 63 assists to pair with her 14 digs. Vajagic was more of the same in this tournament run, concluding the match with 10 kills and 12 digs.
The Badgers exploded out of the gates in set one, putting the Wildcats on their heels early. UW converted each of its first 10 attacks as All-Americans Colyer and Booth led the way, combining to go 7-for-7 to give UW a 7-2 advantage.
Wisconsin pulled away in the first frame and Booth concluded the set with her seventh kill of the match to give the Badgers a 25-12 win and a 1-0 lead.
After battling back-and-forth in the second frame, the Badgers led 20-18 late. But the Wildcats rattled off six-straight points to take a lead and force match point.
After a service error, a block from senior Alicia Andrew and Fuerbringer brought the match within 22-24. Unfortunately for UW, AVCA Player of the Year finalist Eva Hudson capped it off with a kill to knot it up at 1-1.
In set three, the Badgers built an early lead and maintained that cushion throughout, winning the final three points of the frame to take a 2-1 lead heading into set four. Outside hitter Vajagic finished it off with a kill, tallying 10 on the evening.
Set four saw the most intense action at the T-Mobile Center, a frame that witnessed multiple runs en route to extra points. The Badgers started it with a 4-0 burst of their own, as Booth notched a solo block to make it 6-4.
Kentucky was quick to respond once again, winning five of six points to take a 15-13 lead heading into the media timeout.
The teams continued to trade rallies during the latter half of the set, but Wisconsin was able to respond by winning three Kentucky match points, highlighted by a kill from outside hitter Trinity Shadd-Ceres.
The Wildcats secured a pair of blocks to secure the win, tying the match at 2-2. Kentucky continued to find their rhythm in set five, enjoying an 8-2 lead as the teams switched sides.
The Badgers continued to battle, going to Colyer and Booth on the offensive end to bring it within 13-14 to force a Kentucky timeout. However, one final block from the Wildcats secured the match, as the Badgers fell 13-15 in the final frame.
Wisconsin concluded the season with a 28-5 overall record and made an appearance in their seventh NCAA National Semifinal.
Straight from the Court
Head Coach Kelly Sheffield (on reflecting on this season): “I feel like this one of the most successful seasons that I have ever been a part of. You can hurt, but you can also be proud. Both of those things are together.”
Notes:
- The Badgers fall to 76-28 in the NCAA Tournament
- UW moves to 4-4 in NCAA National Championship matches.
- Senior Mimi Colyer recorded double-digit kill totals for the 20th-straight match. The Lincoln, California, native notched a career-best 32 kills in her final collegiate match.
- Libero Kristen Simon passed former Badger great Lauren Carlini for fourth-most digs in a freshman season, concluding the year with 376.
- Middle blocker Carter Booth continued to shine on the big stage, accumulated a career-best 21 kills on a .633 hitting percentage.
- Setter Charlie Fuerbringer earned a double-double behind a career-high in assists with 63. The sophomore chipped in 14 digs, too.
- Outside hitter Una Vajagic excelled once again, turning in her 11th double-double of the season with 10 kills and 12 digs.
- Right side Grace Egan racked up a season-high in digs with 15.
