[media-credit name=’UW Athletic Communications’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]The Wisconsin volleyball team is glad to be back in Madison. After enduring a rough, three-match road trip that saw UW fall to Illinois, Penn State and Ohio State, the Badgers return home for weekend matches with the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans.

For UW (16-8, 10-6), the matches will be the final two home contests of the regular season. The Badgers currently reside in fourth place in the Big Ten with two weekends remaining in conference play.

“Nobody likes to lose,” said senior opposite hitter Jill Odenthal, one of two Badgers who will play their final Big Ten matches at the UW Field House Saturday. “Yes, we did lose to three very good teams, but in my opinion, I don’t think we should have. We have the talent to definitely take those teams. Stepping up these last four matches is definitely going to be huge for us, for tournament time and finishing the Big Ten. Anything can happen in two weekends.”

Still hoping to host first and second round matches in the NCAA tournament, Wisconsin will look to makes its case to the selection committee this weekend against Michigan and Michigan State. The Badgers won the first meeting against each team this season, defeating the Spartans 3-0 and topping the Wolverines 3-1 on the road.

“They’re both dangerous teams,” UW head coach Pete Waite said. “They both have talent on their team and, depending on the matchup that day, we’re going to be in for some real battles I think. Michigan’s just coming off a five-game loss to Minnesota and it shows they can play at a very high level. We know these are great teams and we’re happy to be home. Our team has played well at home and played with a lot of energy. We’re looking forward to it.”

Michigan (18-9, 8-8) is in sixth place in the conference standings, two matches behind Wisconsin. Like the Badgers, the Wolverines run a balanced offensive attack. Milwaukee native Lisa Gamalski runs the show at setter and looks to a bevy of hitters for production. Outside hitters Jennifer Gandolph, Kate Brudzdzinski and Erin Cobler, as well as middle blocker Lyndsay Miller, all record more than 2.4 kills per game.

Michigan State (11-13, 6-10) has sputtered to an eighth-place showing thus far in 2004. In order to finish with a winning record — and therefore be eligible for the NCAA tournament — the Spartans must win three of their final four matches. They head into the weekend on a relative hot streak, having won five of their last seven.

MSU is led by a trio of tall outside hitters: 6-foot-2 senior Kim Schram (4.88 kills per game), 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman Katie Johnson (2.73 kills per game) and 6-foot-2 senior Michelle Kopka (2.59 kills per game).

Saturday night also marks the final home Big Ten contest for Odenthal and Marian Weidner. The duo will be honored with a Senior Night ceremony prior to the match.

“It’s always good to be home,” Waite said. “We just had a three-match road trip against top 25 teams. It’s good to get back home so you can show your fans you have improved even though you have been on the road and taken some losses. We’re still making improvements every day in practice.”