For the second straight match last night, junior libero M.E. Dodge started out in the libero role for #5 Wisconsin. However, it wouldn’t last for the whole match, as Tiffany Clark would win back the spot – at least for the time being – in the final sets of the Badgers’ four set victory over #7 Illinois.
Dodge was the libero to open up the match, but struggled in the first set which led to Clark regaining the different colored jersey for sets two through four. With Clark as the libero, Wisconsin won the final three sets.
Both appeared throughout as either a defensive specialist or the libero. Clark notched 16 digs, 1 assist, 0 aces/0 serve errors and a .938 reception percentage (1 error on 16 attempts). Dodge logged 12 digs, 1 assist, 0 aces/3 serve errors and an .871 reception percentage (4 errors on 31 attempts).
In the team’s previous match, a sweep at Purdue, Dodge was the libero while Clark came off the bench as the first defensive specialist. Dodge wound up with 9 digs, 1 ace to 1 serve error and a .857 reception percentage on 14 tries while Clark had 8 digs, 1 ace to 0 serve errors and a 1.000 reception mark on 10 tries.
In total for the season, both have appeared in 41 sets. To this point, Clark has recorded 169 digs (4.12 per set) and 0.22 reception errors per set (2nd on the team). Dodge – in the same amount of sets but less opportunities as a defensive specialist mostly off the bench as opposed to the libero – has logged 65 digs (1.59 per set) and 0.33 reception errors per set (1st on the team).
#5 Wisconsin is off to an 11-2 start and a 4-1 mark in Big Ten play following their win over #7 Illinois. They’ll continue their season this Saturday at #25 Iowa.
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