Three years and three days — that's how long it's been since the last time Wisconsin volleyball beat Penn State.

So long, in fact, senior floor captain and outside-hitter Maria Carlini could barely even recall the match.

Carlini and fellow seniors Amy Bladow and Katie Lorenzen are the only team members to have experienced a victory against the Nittany Lions, coming in their first match ever against Penn State their freshman year. Since then, however, Wisconsin has not won a single match versus the national powerhouse, dropping the last six matches against Penn State.

Now, in what is likely their last matchup with the Nittany Lions, the seniors would like nothing more than to upset the No. 2 team in the country Friday in front of the Field House crowd.

"For the past few years, we've been unsuccessful in beating [Penn State]," Carlini said. "So to go out and finally beat them again, especially in front of our home crowd, would be awesome."

For Carlini, the match will be even a little more special. In Wisconsin's last meeting with Penn State, Carlini sat out with a foot injury and the Badgers were swept 30-24, 30-22 and 30-27. Healthy and ready to go this time around, Carlini can't wait for her chance to go up against one of the best teams in the nation.

"I'm so hungry," she said. "It's hard to sit out your senior year, you don't ever want to come out, but I'm just really excited to play Penn State because I didn't get to last time."

Even though Carlini is back out on the court, head coach Pete Waite says she is far from 100 percent. Waite has been trying to give Carlini some rest with her sore foot, but has had troubles juggling her time off along with practice.

"It might be for the rest of the season she's dealing with it," Waite said of Carlini's injury at his press conference Monday. "We were hoping this stretch right here, that she'll get some rest … but then there's that factor if you haven't been practicing, you're not with the team, the chemistry's not the same, so it is a challenge for Maria and the team."

With or without Carlini, Penn State is still one of the best teams Wisconsin has played over the past couple of years.

Traditionally, the Nittany Lions have been atop the national rankings and dominated whatever conference they've been in — first the Big East and more recently the Big Ten.

Penn State head coach Russ Rose is a prominent figure in college volleyball, currently in his 29th season in Happy Valley, and has always assembled strong teams.

This year is no different, and it appears as though Rose and the Lions will be good for a while with a bevy of underclassmen leading the way.

"This is the No. 2 team in the country and they are undefeated," Waite said of Penn State. "They're 21-0 and they've got that record for a reason. They've been physically overpowering a lot of teams, and they're hitting balls from different angles than people are used to."

Going against the two most accurate attackers in the Big Ten in middle blockers Christa Harmotto (.420) and Melissa Walbridge (.379), the key for Wisconsin will be controlling the net.

"We're going to have to serve awfully tough, number one," Waite said. "We've got to serve tough. Once we do that, we'll keep them off the net a little bit."

"Our block is going to be vital," Bladow added. "I think it's going to be a battle up at the net for both teams and blocking can very well make the difference in the match."

While much of Wisconsin's focus is on Penn State at the moment, the team can't overlook No. 24 Ohio State Sunday.

After winning the first two games and dropping the next three to lose in the previous match against the Buckeyes, Carlini and the Badgers now know what they must do to secure a win.

"We definitely have to serve a lot tougher and pass better," Carlini said. "If we just do all the little things, we have such a balanced attack that it will be so hard for opposing team blockers to track our hitters."

While the UW volleyball team members won't be able to fully enjoy Madison's Halloween festivities Saturday, they are hoping it will be a big distraction for Ohio State.

"This is a very big weekend, so we can't lose sight of what we need to do just because it's Halloween," Bladow said. "But on the other hand, Ohio State has to be here Saturday for all the madness and everything, and hopefully that will affect them a little bit being on the road."