Skinner’s record 6 aces lead defending champion Texas past Wisconsin 3-1 in NCAA semifinal
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/12/2023 (982 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Madison Skinner had 18 kills and a Final Four record six aces to lead defending champion Texas to a 3-1 win over Wisconsin in the semifinals of the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament on Thursday night.
The Longhorns (27-4) advance to face top overall seed Nebraska, which swept Pittsburgh 3-0 in the other semifinal, in Sunday’s championship. Wisconsin was the only team to defeat the Cornhuskers (33-1) this season.
Skinner had three aces in an 11-0 run in the third set that broke the match open. Texas, a No. 2 seed that eliminated second overall seed Stanford in the regional final, won 25-22, 20-25, 25-13, 25-16. The Longhorns had a season-high 11 aces, while the Badgers, a No. 1 regional seed, had 11 service errors.
“We work on (serves) so much in practice and it’s a work in progress,” Skinner said. “Sometimes you get them in, sometimes you don’t, but staying aggressive regardless was my mindset tonight.”
Asjia O’Neal had 11 kills without an error and hit .688. Jenna Wenaas and Molly Phillips both had 10 kills for the Longhorns, who have three NCAA titles. Emma Halter had 19 digs, her 11th straight game with double-figure digs. Ella Swindle had 46 assists.
Skinner, who won a championship at Kentucky as a freshman when the Wildcats beat Texas 3-1, also had nine digs. After hitting .000 in the first two sets she hit over .400 in the last two, finishing at .227.
“I was just going to keep going after it,” Skinner said. “My teammates trust me and I was like, ‘Guys, I’m fine. I’m just going next on, swinging high and swinging for hands. … Kept being Maddy Skinner and it was great. My teammates were pulling for me and it was great.”
Sarah Franklin and Anna Smrek both had 13 kills for the Badgers (30-4), who beat Nebraska in the 2021 final for their only title. Wisconsin, second in the nation with a .313 hitting percent, finished at .223.
The first set was tied at 21. O’Neal had two kills and Skinner and Swindle one each for the Longhorns to hand Wisconsin its only first-set loss of the season.
The Badgers had a 7-0 run in the second set, when Texas hit .075.
Then the Longhorns took over. After taking a 5-3 lead on a Badgers’ service error, Skinner served 10-straight points, with back-to-back aces making it 15-3. Wisconsin’s next two serves were errors, the second pushing the lead to 18-5.
A 10-1 run, turning a 5-4 lead into a 15-5 lead, included three more aces by Skinner and two by O’Neal highlighted the fourth set.
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports