[media-credit name=’Derek Montgomery’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′]
[/media-credit]The Wisconsin volleyball team makes its ninth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament tonight, as UW takes on Loyola (Ill.) in first-round action. After securing the No. 14 overall seed in the tournament, the Badgers (19-9, 13-7) earned the right to host first and second round matches. Playing at the UW Field House, Wisconsin is counting on a sizeable home-court advantage to aid it in the postseason.
“Obviously just being in Madison is a comfort zone,” said freshman setter Jackie Simpson, who will be making her first career NCAA tournament appearance. “You have a crowd out there we’re so comfortable being in front of. Especially having such a young team, I think it’s going to make a huge difference, just having that ability to relax a little more and just enjoy the game.”
In the Ramblers, the Badgers meet a confident team that gained an NCAA berth by winning the Horizon League tournament. Loyola (22-8, 10-4) fell behind upstart Cleveland State two games to none before rallying for a 3-2 victory.
“Watching them on tape, I think they are an impressive team,” UW senior opposite hitter Jill Odenthal said. “They play some very good volleyball, different from what we see in the Big Ten, but nonetheless very, very good.”
Smaller than Wisconsin, which has an average height of 6-foot, Loyola runs a fast-paced offense that relies on speed and quickness as opposed to size. While UW boasts six starters over 6-feet, Loyola has just two. The Ramblers hope to put pressure on the Badger defense with a more up-tempo game than their Big Ten opponent is accustomed to.
“They’re a lot bigger than we are, their offense is a little more powerful, but we run a fast offense,” Loyola head coach Tim O’Brien said. “We think that does us well against a Big Ten-type team. We try to play fast and we try to catch them off-guard — serve them tough. I think we’ve got all the capabilities to make this a competitive match and make this an upset.”
Nichol Amberg, a 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter, is Loyola’s leader with 4.32 kills per game. A solid all-around performer, Amberg also contributes 3.49 digs per game. The tallest player on the Rambler roster is 6-foot-3 middle Hilary Stromath, who averages 3.12 kills and 0.74 blocks per game this season. Running the show offensively is senior setter Lauren Holbrook. A four-year starter, Holbrook hands out 12.99 assists per game.
“In the Big Ten, you have to have some size to compete, to be at the top or try to win a championship,” Wisconsin head coach Pete Waite said. “In the Horizon League, it’s going to be a different kind of athlete they’re going to get and a different speed they’re going to play. They definitely throw the ball around a lot. They’re fast and they have people running a lot of different patterns.”
No Horizon League team has ever advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Loyola hopes to end that pattern in its fourth tourney appearance. The Ramblers are also no stranger to the Big Ten style, as they have picked up victories over both Illinois and Northwestern this season. The win over the then-No. 9 Illini came immediately after Illinois had handed two-time defending national champion USC its first defeat in 52 matches.
The Loyola offense will pose a similar challenge to that of Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets, known for having one of the fastest offenses in the country, fell to the Badgers 3-2 Sept. 4 in Madison.
“I think when you play a team with a fast offense, it gets your team’s attention,” Waite said. “They have to pay attention all the time or their heads will be spinning.”
The winner of the Wisconsin-Loyola match will take on the winner of Notre Dame and Valparaiso, who play at 5 p.m. Friday. First serve for the Badgers and Ramblers is set for 7 p.m. UW is 12-3 at home this season and has not lost at the Field House since Sept. 26.
“We have to protect our home court, fight and play our best ball,” Waite said. “When we do, we’re a very good team.”
