MADISON – The atmosphere at the UW Field House was electric as Wisconsin volleyball faced off against Florida in a thrilling match that captivated a sellout crowd of 7,229 fans. The No. 5 ranked Badgers emerged victorious over the No. 17 Gators in a nail-biting five-set battle, winning with scores of 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, and 15-13 on September 2. This victory marked Wisconsin's second ranked win of the season, improving their overall record to 2-3.
Middle blocker Lynney Tarnow expressed the excitement of playing in front of such a supportive crowd, stating, "The energy, feeling the crowd having our back and the support through a five-setter was such a cool feeling. But then for our team, knowing what we have to work on, taking this week’s practice and using the things that we had been working on finally was really rewarding." The match was filled with dramatic moments, including a rare yellow card issued to head coach Kelly Sheffield after he reacted to a controversial call.
One of the standout aspects of the match was Wisconsin's ability to remain composed under pressure, particularly in the decisive fifth set. The Badgers initially built a 6-1 lead, but Florida fought back, tying the set at 13-13. A strategic timeout allowed Wisconsin to regroup, and they ultimately clinched the victory with a kill from Audrey Flanagan and a crucial attack error from the Gators. Sheffield praised his team's resilience, saying, "No panic kind of happened from anybody or the team or the staff. It was just, ‘Let’s just keep working this and working it.’ And rewarded with a great win."
Grace Egan played a pivotal role in Wisconsin's success, especially during the fourth set when she helped the team recover from a 19-12 deficit. Egan's performance was instrumental, as she recorded a total of 17 kills with an impressive hitting percentage of .314. Sheffield noted her remarkable turnaround, stating, "She was hitting just barely over zero after the second set and ended the match over .300, which kind of tells you that she kind of kicked it into another gear after we had a few encouraging words in between sets two and three."
Freshman Lynney Tarnow also shone brightly in the match, achieving a career-high of 16 kills while hitting .429. Her contributions were particularly significant given that the Badgers were without star player Jaela Auguste for the third consecutive match. Tarnow's performance reflects her growth since joining the team early and participating in spring practices. She remarked, "I feel like a totally different player all around. I feel like I see the improvement from those six months. … The success that I’m having is because of the things I was taught here. So I’m really, really happy about it."
Wisconsin's victory was a collective effort, with contributions from multiple players throughout the match. Twelve Badgers participated in at least two sets, and seven players recorded a minimum of three kills. Freshman Audrey Flanagan led the team with 18 kills, marking her third match this season with 13 or more kills, while Kymora Scott made a notable impact in her first career start, contributing seven kills and three blocks. Coach Sheffield highlighted the importance of teamwork, saying, "You want a team that can come in and change the game, change the rhythm, the tempo, to be ready to be a game-changer."
As Wisconsin prepares for the next challenges in their season, this victory over Florida serves as a testament to their resilience and the promising talent within their roster, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.
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