Sharon Dingman knows Wisconsin-Milwaukee even better than the Illinois State fans who saw the Phoenix take a four-game match from the Redbirds a year ago in Redbird Arena.
Last year's surprise volleyball team of the Midwest, the Phoenix went 25-4, recording the aforementioned win over Illinois State plus another upset over a Wisconsin team ranked in the Top 20 at the time.
Dingman's Butler teams faced Kathy Litzau's 1999 UWM squad as both are members of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.
"They were good then, and they are that good now," said Dingman, whose Redbirds, 6-3, face the Phoenix, 8-2 in the 7 p.m. Tuesday match at the Klotsche Center in Milwaukee. "They run a fast offense and have very good athletes. They're just a good team."
That offense will test a Redbird defense which played better in a weekend home sweep of Southern Illinois and Evansville. Defense is the reason that Dingman didn't opt to change her starting left-side hitters. ISU got 40 digs combined from starters Jackie Utz (21) and Erin Jones (19).
"We need the defense," said Dingman, who also indicated that starting Utz and Jones sets up her bench. Dingman loves the luxury of bringing Abby Lewis and B Corbin off the bench while working freshman Staci Boyce into the lineup, too.
Lewis saved the match against Evansville, coming in to serve with her team trailing 13-11 in game five and serving out the match. Megan Stevenson's two late kills helped the 'Birds get, and keep, the momentum.
"Seems like it is a different couple of players for us every weekend," said Dingman. "It's great for a team's confidence to have lots of players stepping up."
