After nearly four months since its last game in the University of Wisconsin Field House, the UW volleyball team split a hard-fought four-game match with in-state rival UW-Milwaukee 32-30, 30-32, 30-25, 28-30 Wednesday evening.

"It's exciting," Jocelyn Wack said of playing in front of the home crowd again. "It's something to look forward to in the fall. Really, the fall is going to come fast. We're looking forward to it, and it's going to be a fun year."

Despite a poor serving game — the Badgers had five service errors — Wisconsin was able to edge out UWM in the first game.

The second game was close as well.

With the game tied at 12, the Badgers went on an 8-4 run to separate themselves a little bit from the Panthers. The game went back and forth until the Badgers got within one point of going up 2-0 at 29-24, but they were not able to put the Panthers away. Milwaukee went on 8-1 to close the game.

"[I'm] not too happy about that. … We have put it away and that starts with the passing," head coach Pete Waite said. "All you need is a side-out or a score, and you win the game. Normally in the fall those are the kind of things that we do."

Brittany Dolgner and Katherine Dykstra led the Badgers to a Game 3 win with five and four kills, respectively.

In the fourth game, neither team was able to go on any sort of run, and the largest lead either team held was by three points. With the game tied at 26, UW defensive specialist/libero Megan Mills' serve went into the net and gave UWM a lead it would not relinquish.

"We would make some good plays and come back and serve in the net," Waite said of his team's play. "We just can't do that. We gave away way too many unforced errors on our side, and that's just free points for them"

With Audra Jeffers sitting out to rest her back, Caity DuPont having back surgery and Morgan Salow out with mononucleosis, several players were given the opportunity to have more court time and play in different positions.

One of the players in a new position was Wack. Normally the team's libero, Wack started all four games and played on the left side, a position she hasn't played since high school.

"It was kind of bittersweet. I used to hit in high school all the time," Wack said. "It's really fun while I get the chance to. It just so happened the way the spring went with someone getting hurt and then someone getting sick, I was thrown into it, but I've embraced it and I'm having fun."

Despite playing on the left side, Wack still led all players with 26 digs. She also had 10 kills and two blocks in her return to the left side.

"It was great to see Wack as an outside hitter," Waite said. "She hasn't been able to do that since high school. I'm sure she's exhausted right now, because there is a lot more stress for the person who plays front row and back row. For her to hit and then come play in the back row, it's a lot tougher than she's used to."

With Wack playing left side, Waite switched between Mills and Amanda Berkley as the team's libero.

"Once we take [Wack] out of the libero spot, it means other people have to step up," Waite said. "It's real important for us to do that this spring."

Dykstra was one of the new people in the front row. After sitting out her freshman year, as a redshirt, she only played sparingly last year. Wednesday night, Dykstra played on the right side and was second on the team with 17 kills.

"[Dykstra's] a great athlete out there, and we've always known it," Waite said. "She is starting to get her game up to speed with everybody else.

"She is a very physical player, and each day she's on the court for us, she is going to get better."

After redshirting last season, Nikki Klingsporn has seen some court time also, filling in for Jackie Simpson at setter. Klingsporn was able to distribute the ball to UW's hitters, recording 24 assists in the two games she played. While she only had one service ace, Klingsporn was able to throw the Panthers off with her jump serve.

"[Klingsporn's] a great server," Waite said. "She has been hitting her jump serve harder than she was last fall and that's what we are looking for out of her. I thought she ran the offense well and really kept Milwaukee on their heels with her serve."

Maya Carroll also saw some extended playing time, starting at middle blocker in all four games and contributing with 10 kills and six blocks.

"That's what the spring is about," said Waite of the different lineups. "Whether it's our sport or football, you have to figure out on the court in the spring and who's going to step up when people are out with injuries."