The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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#3 Wisconsin
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No. 1 Volleyball beats No. 3 Wisconsin in season opener
09.01.2024 | Volleyball
The Longhorns rolled in the third and fourth sets after a back-and-forth start to the match.
MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – No. 1 Texas Volleyball opened the season with a big 3-1 win, 30-28, 23-25, 25-15, 25-11, over No. 3 Wisconsin at the State Farm Women's Volleyball Showcase at Fiserv Forum on Sunday.
The Longhorns (1-0) rolled in the final two sets after an extremely close first two sets against the Badgers. Texas served seven aces, had 10.5 total blocks and held Wisconsin to a .153 hitting percentage in the match.
Jenna Wenaas posted a double-double, with a team-high 18 kills to go with 10 digs, two blocks and two aces. Madisen Skinner finished with 15 kills, with six digs and a team-high three aces. Reagan Rutherford made her Longhorn debut and finished with 14 kills and six digs.
Marianna Singletary was a force in the middle, posting a team-high eight total blocks to go with nine kills on a .438 hitting percentage.
Emma Halter had a career-high 28 digs and added five assists and one service ace. Keonilei Akana also added nine digs and one assist.
Both of the Longhorns' setters played in the match, with Averi Carlson dishing out 34 assists with nine digs and Ella Swindle had 12 assists and two blocks.
The first set was a rollercoaster as the teams went back-and-forth throughout the set until the Longhorns finally pulled it out 30-28. Skinner led the way with eight kills in the opening set. Texas trailed 22-19 and faced two set points before clawing all the way back to tie it up at 24.
Wisconsin used a pair of 4-0 runs in a very tight second set to tie the match up with a narrow 25-23 win. The Longhorns held the Badgers to a .150 hitting percentage in the set but were unable to pull out the win.
Texas cruised in the third set, 25-15, to retake the lead in the match. The Longhorns jumped out to an early 5-2 lead and never looked back. The Badgers cut the lead to 16-13 but Texas finished the set on an emphatic 9-2 run.
The Longhorns carried the momentum into the fourth set and finished off the Badgers, 25-11. Rutherford was outstanding in the final set with five kills and a block. Texas hit .364 in the fourth set while holding Wisconsin to an .028 hitting percentage.
Texas is back in action in the State Farm Women's Volleyball Showcase against Wisconsin on Monday at 6:30 p.m.
