Madison Skinner's record 6 aces lead defending champion Texas past Wisconsin 3-1 in NCAA semifinal
Texas players react after the team defeated Wisconsin during a semifinal match in the NCAA Division I women's college volleyball tournament Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Chris O'Meara
TAMPA, Fla. — 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.”
Wisconsin's Anna Smrek (14) and Caroline Crawford (9) block a shot by Texas's Madisen Skinner (6) during a semifinal match in the NCAA Division I women's college volleyball tournament Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Chris O'Meara
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.
