No. 6 Wisconsin volleyball wins K-State Invitational

No. 6 Wisconsin volleyball has started 2017 with a bang.

The Badgers (5–0) continued their winning ways this weekend, sweeping Syracuse, Arkansas, and tournament host Kansas State to win the K-State Invitational. Wisconsin never lost a set en route to the victory and has now swept all five matches it has played.

Senior Kelli Bates claimed the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. Redshirt sophomore Madison Duello and freshman setter Sidney Hilley were both named to the all-tournament team alongside Bates.

Duello led the way in Sunday’s championship match with 12 kills and eight blocks. Bates added 11 kills while Hilley had 41 assists. The Badgers hit a blistering .436, holding the host Wildcats to .149 (including a .000 second set).

Saturday saw Wisconsin win two matches. First off was Syracuse, with Bates (12 kills) and Hilley (34 assists) leading the way. The Badgers polished off Arkansas in the afternoon session, powered by Bates’s 15 kills and Hilley’s 41 assists along with five blocks each from junior middle blocker Tionna Williams and freshman middle blocker Dana Rettke.

In other Big Ten news, Minnesota took over as the No. 1 team in the nation after No. 3 Penn State upset the former top team Stanford on Saturday. The Big Ten now boasts three of the top six teams in the country.

The Badgers host Lipscomb on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the first match of the the HotelRed Invitational at the Field House. Wisconsin plays Texas A&M on September 9 at 7 p.m. in the second leg of the three-team round-robin.