Polzin: Early season adversity is teaching Wisconsin volleyball how to be resilient (2024)

If it seems like something is missing for the University of Wisconsin volleyball team early in the 2024 season, there’s a valid reason.

It’s because there always seems to be somebody missing.

That was the case again Tuesday night at the Kohl Center, where the No. 7 Badgers had to get creative with their lineup in a 22-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-22 victory over Marquette.

Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said Monday that his team was finally starting to get healthy. Some might call that a jinx, because freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer sustained an unspecified injury later in the day and was wearing a protective boot on her right foot while sitting out the match against the Golden Eagles.

Meanwhile, senior Superwoman Sarah Franklin’s back was so tight that she jogged from sideline to sideline between points at times to stay loose. It didn’t stop her from having a career night before an announced crowd of 15,084.

Franklin already had been working her way back from an ankle injury. The list of the walking wounded also has included Anna Smrek, Julia Orzol, Saige Damrow and Devyn Robinson.

Yes, it’s been one of those years for the Badgers. And they’re only seven matches into 2024.

But say this for Sheffield’s team: It just keeps showing up and fighting.

Montana transfer Carly Anderson subbed for Fuerbringer and finished with 51 assists. Robinson didn’t start the match and was wearing a brace on her right shoulder, but she entered in the second set as a blocking sub and gave the Badgers (4-3) a spark.

“There’s a resiliency, there’s a toughness, there’s a next-man-up (mentality), there’s just finding a way and doing it,” Sheffield said before breaking out a boxing metaphor. “Sometimes you’ve just got to go to the center ring, go toe to toe and just swing away and take some punches yourself. I loved the mentality of our team tonight.”

It was only two weeks ago that Wisconsin was 0-3 for the first time since 1990. That string of losses came against No. 6 Louisville, No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Stanford, providing the Badgers with some tough lessons to learn.

But Sheffield likes the way his players have responded while winning four consecutive matches to get over .500 for the first time this season.

If there’s a silver lining to all the injuries, it’s that Wisconsin’s depth has been strengthened because of it. Sheffield already knew he had lineup options, but he probably didn’t know he’d be forced to use so many in the opening month of the season.

“One of the greatest strengths of our team,” said Smrek, who finished with 15 kills and hit .414 against the Golden Eagles (3-4), “is that we can have a lot of different looks on the court.”

The one constant— and the one player the Badgers can’t afford to lose— is Franklin. She was practically unstoppable at times against Marquette, setting a program record for a four-set match with a career-high 33 kills.

“She’s a warrior,” Sheffield said of Franklin, who hit .517. “That is absolutely one of the best matches I’ve ever seen a player (have) under the circumstances. It was fantastic.”

Franklin fought through adversity, and she wasn’t alone. In fact, that seems to be an early theme with this team.

The Badgers don’t dwell on injuries. They didn’t fold after the early losing streak. They simply show up to work and, no matter who’s next to them on the court, keep swinging away.

They’re certain these punches they’ve taken will make them better down the road.

“We work together,” Smrek said, “and it’s going to be a strength in the end.”