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The University of Wisconsin volleyball team wasn’t about to let anything spoil the party.

On the night the program celebrated its first national championship, bringing back graduated stars Dana Rettke, Sydney Hilley, Grace Loberg and Lauren Barnes, the current version of the Badgers overcame some bumpy stretches and showed its moxie Friday night in defeating a scrappy Marquette team 25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21 before a sellout crowd of 7,229 at the UW Field House.

Coach Kelly Sheffield admitted he was concerned that the pre-match ceremonies might become a joyous distraction to the players. He had Chad McGehee, the team’s meditation specialist, talk with the players during the week about how to handle the situation.

“We don’t talk a lot about turning on and off the light switch,” Sheffield said. “I just don’t believe that. But we did tonight as far as we’re going to have the ceremony and we’re going to enjoy the heck out of it but then you’re going to go downstairs and change into your jersey and that’s going to be your superpower, your cape, if you will. It’s going to be like, I’m back into game mode.

“I thought we came out and we were locked in. The eyes don’t lie. You can tell when somebody is locked in and when they’re not. We seemed to be back in character. We played well for the majority of the match.”

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Junior Devyn Robinson, who led the Badgers with 15 kills and hit .464, said the message was received and absorbed by the players.

“The ceremony was just amazing,” Robinson said. “It brought back all the memories from the national championship. But as soon as we went down to the locker room, it was game time. That was fun but time to lock in.”

The Badgers (2-1) had to rally to win the first set, closing on a 6-1 run that featured two kills and a block by Robinson.

But the Golden Eagles (2-1) showed they just might be up for spoiling everyone’s fun when they bounced back to take the second set, scoring the final two points after the Badgers had rallied to tie the set at 23-23.

Marquette then took command in the third set, jumping out to a 13-5 lead. The Badgers were down 18-12 before they went on a 6-0 run to pull even. That stretch was fueled by junior Jade Demps, who had subbed in for Sarah Franklin, who was hitting -.074 to that point. Although she was struggling offensively, Sheffield was somewhat reluctant to pull her because she is one of the team’s best passers. But he made the switch after getting aced.

“Jade came in and made a real big difference,” he said. “Made some nice digs, got some nice touches on some blocks and got some big swings. Defensively we got a lot better the second half of the match. ... We were in system a lot.”

Junior Caroline Crawford also played a significant role in the comeback, contributing a service ace, two out-of-system assists and a dig to the 6-0 run.

Marquette fought back and took a 21-20 lead before the Badgers closed things with a 5-0 run, with Robinson getting the last two kills.

“That third set was quite a comeback,” Sheffield said. “I thought we kind of kicked it into another gear to come back. When our backs were really, really against the wall there in that third set, I thought we showed a lot of heart.”

Senior setter Izzy Ashburn said that rally helped prove something to the team.

“I think every team has moments like those and we’re super grateful that it happened this early in the season and we were able to show our character like that and show our grit and show our perseverance at the end of the game,” she said. “We might be down, but we’re never out of a set, never out of a game. We showed that out there tonight, and it was fun to see everybody’s personality chip into that and watch us just bond and find our way out of a situation like that.”

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The Badgers would be put to another test in the fourth set after they blew open a 21-12 lead and appeared ready to end the party in style.

But it was the Golden Eagles’ turn to stage a comeback, going on an 8-1 run to pull within two at 22-20. But the Badgers gathered themselves and finished with a 3-1 run with Robinson again providing the last two kills.

“I thought Marquette showed a lot of heart in the fourth set when we jumped out to a really big lead and they started making some plays,” Sheffield said. “Both teams were just battling and fighting and scrapping.”

Franklin played a big role in the fourth set. She had six kills and hit .421 to finish with 14 kills in the match. Sophomore Julia Orzol added 13 kills.

Jenna Reitsma had 15 kills to lead Marquette, which also got 12 kills from former Madison Edgewood athlete Ella Foti.

MARQUETTE (kills-digs-blocks) — Anchante 2-11-1, Reitsma 15-12-0, Foti 12-8-2, Studer 0-0-0, Hamilton 11-10-3, Garrison 0-1-0, Murray 10-0-4, Skrabak 0-16-0, Holmstrom 1-0-0, Ring 1-0-0, Daugherty 0-0-0, Bray 2-3-2, Naber 0-9-0. Totals 54-70-6.

WISCONSIN (kills-digs-blocks) — MacDonald 0-0-0, Gregorski 0-0-0, Hammill 0-14-0, Crawford 2-7-5, Robinson 15-3-3, Ashburn 0-9-0, Franklin 14-11-1, Smrek 8-2-4, Demps 5-7-0, Wrobel 0-0-0, Hart 5-0-3, Guctekin 0-14-0, Orzol 13-7-0. Totals 62-74-8.

Hitting percentage — M .212, W .256. Aces — M 4 (Reitsma 2), W 6 (Crawford 2). Assists — M 51 (Anchante 41), W 60 (Ashburn 31). Att. – 7,229.

Wisconsin's Anna Smrek (14) hits the ball in the second set of a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Anna Smrek (14) hits the ball past Marquette's Hattie Bray (22) in the second set of a game at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Devyn Robinson (10) hits the ball past Marquette's Aubrey Hamilton (10) in the second set of a game at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Sarah Franklin (13) hits the ball at Marquette's Carsen Murray (12) and Yadhira Anchante (1) in the second set of a game at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Gulce Guctekin (21) dives for the ball in the second set of a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin players, including Wisconsin's Gulce Guctekin (21), react after a point in the second set of a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin volleyball players, including Anna Smrek (14), MJ Hammill (6), top right, Gulce Guctekin (21) and Sarah Franklin (13), left, celebrate a point in the second set of a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Devyn Robinson (10) and Danielle Hart (18) put up a block against Marquette's Aubrey Hamilton (10) in the second set of a game at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Julia Orzol (22) and Caroline Crawford (9) put up a block against Marquette's Ella Foti (7) in the second set of a game at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

UW student Madeline Timmers passes out mini banners to spectators for the team’s 2021 national championship win before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Dana Rettke receives a ring from Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh for the team’s 2021 national championship win during a ceremony before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Liz Gregorski reacts after receiving a championship ring from Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh for the team’s 2021 national championship win during a ceremony before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin 2021 national championship volleyball team gathers around the trophy for a photo during a ceremony before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Anna Smrek receives a ring from Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh for the team’s 2021 national championship win during a ceremony before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin volleyball players cheer on their teammates as they receive rings for their 2021 national championship win during a ceremony before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Wisconsin's Devyn Robinson reacts after receiving her championship ring from Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh for the team’s 2021 national championship win during a ceremony before a game against Marquette on Friday.

Dana Rettke shows her championship ring to fans after a ceremony for the team’s 2021 national championship win before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

The 2021 volleyball national championship banner is dropped from the ceiling during a ceremony before a game against Marquette at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

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