Wisconsin volleyball prepares for showdown with Pitt in Elite Eight of the 2022 NCAA Tournament
MADISON – It wasn’t too long ago that the Wisconsin volleyball team would have played a 2½-hour match in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and then had to take the court the next day for a spot in the Final Four.
This marks the second year the NCAA has scheduled a day between the regional semifinal and regional final.
The Badgers used the time wisely. Their five-set win over Penn State on Thursday night lasted 2 hours, 38 minutes, their third-longest match of the season. Considering the stakes it possibly was their most taxing physically and mentally.
Friday was a chance to recharge, reset and prepare.
“It’s not a day off. A day of preparation to get ready for your next match is really critical,” Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said. “These are really tough matches and you want people to play at their best.
“So the day off is important. Hopefully at some point we’ll be able to have the same thing the opening weekend of this tournament. But right now it doesn’t mean anything if we don't get past (the Penn State win) quick. If you’re not taking care of your body. If you’re not getting yourself in position to take advantage of it. It’s a big deal.”
Wisconsin (28-3) faces Pittsburgh (30-3) in a matchup of No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the regional final at 7 p.m. Saturday at the UW Field House (ESPNU).
Though both programs have been among the nation’s best in recent years, there has been little crossover. This will be the teams’ first meeting since 2008. This season they have just two common opponents: Florida and Ohio State.
Nonetheless there are few surprises at this point.
“It would be different if we knew nothing about our opponent,” Sheffield said. “This time of year you’re just trying to play well yourself, you’re trying to understand your opponent, you’re trying to play the way you’re capable of paying.”
That said, here are some issues the Badgers might be discussing heading into the match.
Cleaning up the serve receive
You have to tip your hat to Penn State for serving a tough match. Expect that UW libero Gulce Guctekin and sophomores Sarah Franklin and Julie Orzol to come back with better days in serve receive. Sheffield brought junior Jade Demps for Franklin in the second half of the fourth set, but for the most part trusted the players to work through their struggles and was rewarded.
"Our overall (passing numbers) in the fifth set were really good," Sheffield said. "Because of that I think our three passers should be leaving yesterday's match more confident rather than less confident, right? ... When the game was on the line, they made plays and handled some really tough serves."
Containing Courtney
The Panthers' top player has been Courtney Buzzerio, a graduate transfer familiar with the Badgers from her days at Iowa. The 6-foot-5 right-side hitter was a first-team all-Big Ten pick as a junior and a second-team selection last year.
At Pittsburgh, she appears to be on her way to an All-American season. She was named the east region player of the year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Buzzerio entered the week leading the nation in hitting percentage (.388) and attacks (897). Counting the match Thursday, she has taken 24% of the team’s swings.
After years of being her team's only threat, she has thrived with better players surrounding her.
"I think right off the bat having more hitters that are big threats that people take notice on alleviates a lot of stress off me where I don't have a double block 80% of the time," she said. "Chia (Nwokolo) and Serena (Gray) definitely take the load off the way our system runs and how heavy we run middle. That is the biggest thing. People have to look at two, three different hitters."
Preparing for another block party
Wisconsin had its best blocking day of the season against Penn State and entered the week ranked second in the nation with 3.04 blocks per set. Pitt isn't afraid to attack a block, part of the reason it was the second-most blocked team in the ACC this season.
"They're a physical team with a big block and we're a team that like to take big rips," Panthers coach Dan Fisher said. "That will probably be on the storylines, their block and us getting after it, but I do think having played BYU and Florida, which was also quite strong at the net, prepares us well."
Will balance be better?
One of the keys to the Badgers’ success has been their balance. In any given match, a handful of players could fuel the attack. Sophomore Anna Smrek has been hot, averaging seven kills per match while hitting .545 in the postseason, but Devyn Robinson (9.3 kps, .377), Danielle Hart (4 kps, .360) and Franklin (11.3 kps, .292) have been solid hitters during the playoffs.
A win not only would send Wisconsin to its fourth straight Final Four, it also would allow the team to finish the season undefeated at the Field House and tie the school’s all-time winning streak of 22.
The gym reached 110 decibels during the final set Thursday. UW wouldn't mind more of the same Saturday.
“It’s exciting to see where we can take this and how gritty we have become,” Franklin said. “I’m super excited to get out there and continue to grit through all of this.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin volleyball prepares for Elite Eight showdown with Pitt
