The University of Wisconsin’s volleyball team hosted the 2025 border battle at home Wednesday night, crushing past the Gophers. No. 11 Wisconsin beat No. 22 Minnesota volleyball after a four set match, proving why they still rule the border battle.
Starting for Wisconsin’s stacked lineup, freshman Addy Horner and Kristen Simon, seniors Carter Booth and Mimi Colyer, redshirt senior Alicia Andrew and redshirted sophomores Una Vajagic and Grace Egan.
To kick off the match, the true freshman setter used her right side strength to give Wisconsin a kill. Horner then went on to join Booth in the first Badger Block of the night, this was just the start of a high defensive game.
Egan was back on the court two weeks ago from injury and her presence at the night was missed. The hitter is known for her power but shocked the field house with her versatility after a tip over kill to completely throw off Minnesota’s offense.
At 18-16, Colyer dropped an ace over the Gophers, adding to her previous four kills on the set. Combined with another kill for Egan, Wisconsin saw its first five point lead of the match.
The field house on its feet for the set point, Minnesota served into the net, set one went to Wisconsin at 25-20.
The second set showed a huge rush of defense from the Badger squad. Freshman libero, Simon, performed great under the pressure, marking her 12th straight double-digit match, totally 16 digs on the night.
“They’re really aggressive behind the service line, really attacking the space between the passers,” Simon said.
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This was some of the strongest defense we have seen from Wisconsin this season. Up front, numerous blocks from Booth and Andrew, with a tip down kill for Booth from the middle. The two finished with a combined six Badger Blocks on the night, hitting .579.
Booth hit a perfect 6-0-11, marking a perfect errorless match, counting as her sixth match of the season.
For the second straight set, a Minnesota service error ends it. 25-22
The third set ran with a high offensive intensity from the Gophers, keeping a steady three to five point lead throughout. Service specialist Natalie Wardlow enters into the match, proving herself with an ace. The freshman has totaled 16 aces thus far this season, with a career high on Halloween with a spooky four against Nebraska.
At this point in the match, Wisconsin had 3 aces to 10 service errors. Minnesota sitting with 7 aces to their 12 service errors. Minnesota was able to capitalize off of a Wisconsin block error to take set three 25-18.
Leading 2-1, Wisconsin’s defense was beginning to shake. Points going back and forth between the squads kept a tight set. Kill after kill, only off of the hands of Minnesota’s block, kept Wisconsin in the match. At match point, Wisconsin was able to land an ace to take the match, 25-16.
The Badgers are set to go against No. 18 Indiana Nov. 9 back in the field house.