Setting the stage: Badgers prepare for the big weekend

MADISON, Wis. – The No. 7 Wisconsin volleyball team welcomes No. 2 Nebraska to the Field House on Friday night at 8 p.m. before traveling to Illinois on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Friday's game will air on the Big Ten Network, while Sunday's game will be available on B1G+.

Before the game begins, here are six things you should know:

1. LAST TIME: The Badgers picked up a key road win last weekend, defeating No. 10 Purdue 25-20, 25-23, 25-13 on Saturday afternoon. Freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer set a career high with four aces. Wisconsin outscored Purdue 15-7 Carter Booth counted seven himself. Two nights earlier, the Badgers defeated Indiana in straight sets. Once again, the Badgers put on a blocking clinic, recording 14 roofs, compared to Indiana's three. Freshman libero Lola Schumacher recorded 20 digs for her third 20+ dig match of the season.

2. NINE… AND COUNTING: Wisconsin is currently on a nine-game winning streak and has continued to improve on both ends. In the last nine games, Wisconsin hit .338 while its opponents hit .115. Sarah Franklin is averaging 4.17 kills/set while hitting .325. Anna Smrek has come to life and reached double-digit kill totals in three straight games. She averaged 3.31 kills per set during the streak. Defensively, the Badgers are averaging 13.83 digs per set and 3.90 blocks per set. Booth leads the field with 1.96 blocks/set, while Smrek (1.52), Crawford (1.37) and Robinson (1.21) each average over a block per set. Freshmen Lola Schumacher leads the team with 4.21 digs/set, while Franklin (2.41), Orzol (2.17), Fürbringer (1.72) and Gucetkin (1.66) contribute with almost two digs per set

3. BLOCKTOBER: CC Crawford reached a milestone with a 3-0 victory over Indiana on Thursday. Crawford recorded a match-high eight blocks and made her 600th career block in the second set of the match. On Sunday at Purdue, junior Carter Booth needed just six blocks to reach 400 career blocks. As a team, the Badgers recorded 15.0 total team blocks, while Booth contributed to seven of them, reaching 400 in the second set.



4. WHITE OUT AT THE FIELD HOUSE: Friday night's game against Nebraska will be a white-out. All fans are encouraged to wear their white Badger gear and help keep the field house white.

5. SCOUT THE HUSKERS: Big Ten rival Neraska leads the Badgers 20-13-1 overall. Before last season's five-set heartbreaker in Lincoln, the Badgers had won 10 straight against the Huskers. UW has not lost to Nebraska at home since the 2013 season, Sheffield's first season with the team. Nebraska currently has a 20-1 record, with its only loss coming against SMU in the fourth game of the season. The Mustangs defeated them 25-23, 25-21, 25-18. The Huskers are coming off a 3-1 win over Michigan this past weekend. They didn't release anyone from last season and added outside hitter Taylor Landfair. Bergen Reilly has been named Big Ten Setter of the Week three times this season and leads the Big Ten with 11.25 assists per set.

6. Exploring the Illinois: Historically, Illinois has the edge over UW by a narrow margin of 49-48-1. The Badgers have won the last nine meetings between the two teams. The Fighting Illini are 14-6 overall this season and 6-4 in conference play. They are coming off a 3-1 win over Iowa. Outside attacker Raina Terry ranks just below Sarah Franklin Ranks fifth in the Big Ten for kills per set, averaging 4.32.