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The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Volleyball: Taylor Morey’s 100th career match as a Badger ends in victory, ovation from fans

Lone senior’s emotional afternoon ends happily on Senior Day
Lauren+Carlini+%28right%29+earned+All-America+first+team+honors+while+Taylor+Morey+%28left%29+and+Courtney+Thomas+%28middle%29+were+named+to+the+All-American+second+team+
Jason Chan
Lauren Carlini (right) earned All-America first team honors while Taylor Morey (left) and Courtney Thomas (middle) were named to the All-American second team

For a team of any caliber, 10 straight wins is an uncommon achievement that would be celebrated with the utmost pleasure and satisfaction.

For the Wisconsin volleyball team and its head coach Kelly Sheffield, it’s a sobering realization of how far they’ve come as a team after they won their 10th straight match over No. 16 Ohio State in straight sets (25-21, 25-16, 25-21).

“We didn’t [pull away in games] early in the year at all,” Sheffield said. “When it got down to the end of sets, we were actually getting outscored and that hasn’t been the case recently.”

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The afternoon celebrated not only Senior Day, but lone senior Taylor Morey’s 100th match as a Badger and a victory to make the celebration all the more worthwhile.

“Obviously the journey is not over,” Morey said. “We have a lot of games left to play, but it’s just awesome to see the support behind Badger volleyball. You can’t go to many schools and have 6,000 people standing and cheering your name in the Field House.”

Morey, not having to exert much of a direct effort, was only called on to make 10 receptions and eight digs – a quiet night for the libero. But her mature presence and insight guided a Wisconsin back line to what felt like complete floor coverage.

Ohio State’s complicated attack had the potential to run the Badgers around the court, but solid net coverage limited attacking chances and allowed Morey and her back line to keep any serious damage from occurring. Wisconsin recorded a team total of 49 digs, with every player who played more than a set recording at least one dig — a testament to how intertwined the team has become, as well as how hardworking they are.

“It [shows] how hard they work in the back row,” junior Haleigh Nelson said, who recorded six digs of her own. “Ohio State does do a good job of running a lot of plays all over the place, so that does keep them reading a lot, but they do work really hard, so [the running during coverage] is pretty much on them.”

Nelson, who landed a team-high 12 kills, has hit at .534 percent over the last four matches. Her attempt at making 2015 a season with increased confidence has not only made herself improve, but inspired those around her to do better as well.

Nearly every facet of the Badgers’ game has improved during this 10-match streak.

The Badgers have evolved into a matured team, much more capable than the last time they played Ohio State, which ended in a five-set loss in Columbus, and it showed Saturday.

Their ability to down the No. 16 Buckeyes in straight sets showed that this team has truly turned a corner.

Wisconsin, as Sheffield put it, is now the experienced and cohesive unit he’s been trying to attain all season.

“We are playing with confidence now and when you communicate and you know what each other is doing, then good things happen,” he said.

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