2015 Gophers Volleyball Thread!

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Both games this weekend have been added to Big Ten Network.

Friday vs. Michigan State 7:00
Saturday vs. #25 Michigan 7:00
 



Minnesota kept motoring with a sweep of the Spartans (21,13, 21). Minnesota pried open and maintained an early gap in each set. The Gophers exploited the holes in the MSU defense.

My favorite sequence occurred in the third set. The Gopher opened a 15-9 lead before MSU closed it to 15-14. Then Santana (who had 16 kills) nailed a back row rocket for a kill. A thunderous Molly Lohman solo block was followed by a Rosado ace. The Gophers finished off the run with a Wilhite/Lohman block and a Wilhite kill making it 20-14 Minnesota.

MSU coach Cathy George showed some frustration with the challenge system (she lost her challenge (a Santana kill which I don’t think got to the Spartan side of the net) while Hugh won his). George thought about challenging match point before conceding the loss.

All in all, an excellent hitting night for the maroon and gold. Santana (16 kills), Lohman (5), Hannah (8), Wilhite (9) and Paige (2). Minnesota hit .330.
 

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-volleyball-freshman-setter-quick-to-find-a-rhythm/342275491/

Reusse writes his once a year Gopher Volleyball column on Seliger-Swenson. However, I do think the column's timing probably had something to do with Jim Carter (post Pat's "don't hire Goetz!" admonition) taking him to task for not attending women's sports. Pat had Carter on KSTP to make the case for Goetz as the new AD.

One of the finer things to happen to coach Hugh McCutcheon’s fourth Gophers team was Seliger-Swenson’s decision to enroll early. Samantha might have been a freshman when she arrived on campus last January, but she’s not playing like one with seven Big Ten matches remaining in her first collegiate season.

Seliger-Swenson said that at the time she made the decision to become an early college enrollee, she had no idea that it would get her a trip to Japan.
 


http://m.startribune.com/more-evide...menu-of-opportunity/342435031/?section=sports

Reusse continues performing his penance:

You can find zealots who hold firmly to the notion that all things in a Big Ten athletic department should be sacrificed at the altar of football and men’s basketball. The lie of this theory – and the grandness of a state university supporting a full menu of athletics – was played out on Friday night behind the huge west wall of Williams Arena.

Inside the big arena, Richard Pitino’s basketball Gophers were playing an exhibition game against Southwest Minnesota State that was going to reveal … well, basically zero concerning Pitino’s third team in Minneapolis. Behind the wall, in the Sports Pavilion, Hugh McCutcheon’s fourth collection of volleyball Gophers was playing to hold first place in the Big Ten and to stick around its No. 4 national ranking
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:
Minnesota kept motoring with a sweep of the Spartans (21,13, 21). Minnesota pried open and maintained an early gap in each set. The Gophers exploited the holes in the MSU defense.

My favorite sequence occurred in the third set. The Gopher opened a 15-9 lead before MSU closed it to 15-14. Then Santana (who had 16 kills) nailed a back row rocket for a kill. A thunderous Molly Lohman solo block was followed by a Rosado ace. The Gophers finished off the run with a Wilhite/Lohman block and a Wilhite kill making it 20-14 Minnesota.

MSU coach Cathy George showed some frustration with the challenge system (she lost her challenge (a Santana kill which I don’t think got to the Spartan side of the net) while Hugh won his). George thought about challenging match point before conceding the loss.

All in all, an excellent hitting night for the maroon and gold. Santana (16 kills), Lohman (5), Hannah (8), Wilhite (9) and Paige (2). Minnesota hit .330.
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It was great being able to watch it on TV. Wish we could have been there. Let's do it again tonight!
 

I just put together a group of 10 for Penn St next week. Should be fun!
 

Minnesota fought off a determined, good defending, Michigan club to win 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 24-26 and 22-25). A good Gopher blocking effort overcame way too many serve receive errors. Michigan proved hard to put away as they forced long rallies to their advantage.

A late Minnesota comeback pulled out the first set for the Gophers; but Michigan dominated the second set. The third set ended on a challenged Minnesota tip. Hugh challenged the tip call and was rewarded with a reversal. Needless to say, Michigan head coach Mark Rosen didn’t like the decision..

Michigan successfully attacked the Minnesota middle during the match and seemed more consistent on the attack. However, In the fourth set, with the Wolverines still steaming from the disputed third set challenge, Minnesota forced the action to open a big lead and then hung on for their 12th straight win.

At the end, a nice, everybody on deck, team win.

Santana had 23 kills and Hannah 11. Minnesota had 26 blocks and Michigan 18. Minnesota had 8 serve receive errors. Of note: Maddie Beal made an appearance on the front line for one serve.
 



The mysteriously adjudicated, Gopher favoring, third set ending challenge has been resolved-maybe. (A thanks to Volleytalk forum posters for pointing the way). Hugh wasn’t challenging the tip. He was challenging whether Paige Tapp was tripped on the way to setting the block. She was.

Michigan right side hitter, Carly Skjodt, blasted a shot into the Minnesota block. Her momentum carried her under the net and she caught Paige’s foot as Paige turned to block the Michigan left side on the set. Supposedly, after the review, the down ref gave a net violation signal. I didn’t see it because once she signaled Gopher point I immediately turned my attention to Michigan’s expressions of disbelief and exasperation.
 

Santana - B1G Player of the Week
Seliger-Swenson - B1G Co-Freshman of the Week

Congrats!!!!
 

Ladies move up to #1 in the RPI. Still #4 in coaches poll. We pretty much clinch the Big Ten Title with a win over Penn St on Saturday, but we haven't beaten them in forever. Game is more or less sold out. Should be rocking.
 

Whew! On a night Northwestern held Santana in check (well until late in the final set) Minnesota’s blocking helped outlast the Wildcats in four (25-23, 25-19, 22-25 and 25-18). In the first set, Northwestern successfully attacked the middle and, led by Symone Abbott, the outside; but the Gophers survived.

In the third set, Minnesota’s serve receive errors recurred (Abbie Kraus especially caused the Gophers consternation) and Northwestern (with good hitting from Hazen) took the set. However, Minnesota sprinted away with the fourth set, their thirteenth consecutive win and Saturday night date with Penn State.
 



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Go Gophers!!
 

I just checked Gophersports.com and it's displaying 'BTNPlus' at the TV for the Minnesota/Penn State match on Saturday. WHY IN THE H*LL IS THIS NOT ON TELEVISION????
 

Gopher2017 said:
I just checked Gophersports.com and it's displaying 'BTNPlus' at the TV for the Minnesota/Penn State match on Saturday. WHY IN THE H*LL IS THIS NOT ON TELEVISION????
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There something called football.
 


Gopher2017 said:
I just checked Gophersports.com and it's displaying 'BTNPlus' at the TV for the Minnesota/Penn State match on Saturday. WHY IN THE H*LL IS THIS NOT ON TELEVISION????
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Because the Gophers-Iowa football game is on BTN.

Come on BTN, spring for the overflow on Saturday night.
 

It's going to be a busy sports night on campus. In addition to sold out volleyball, there's Gopher Men's Hockey (which I also have tickets to), High School Football and swimming Probably not quite as crazy as the Saturday of Nebraska 2:30 football and 8:00 o'clock Wisconsin volleyball but still busy.
 

we swept penn state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Wow, that was fun. :) Didn't even seem as close as the scores show. I've never saw Wilhite hit like that before. Hitting every angle with power instead of soft tips. She would be the x-factor to winning a national championship if she can keep this up.
 

So many great plays and where did the Gopher service game come from? It kept Penn State befuddled. Among the top plays was the set 2 triple block (Paige, SSS and Wilhite) which got the Gophers to 24 and helped cut off a PSU rally. I think Paige actually got the block. And yes Wilhite was spectacular on a fun night in the PAV.
 

That was as well as I've seen a Gopher volleyball team play in quite awhile. And they've had some darned good teams in that span. They were focused, poised and did everything well. Safe to say that RPI rating isn't going to be changing this week! ;)
 

Looking at the stats: Minnesota had 7 aces, 0 service errors and 1 receiving error. PSU? 1 ace, 4 service errors and 7 receiving errors. Wilhite hit .579 for the match and dominated the third set.
 


Gopher2017 said:
When do the volleyball rankings come out?
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Monday, usually around 1:00 or 2:00. RPI should be out by late morning and Gophers should still be #1. Win out and there's no way they won't be top team in the Des Moines Regional.
 

overpass said:
Monday, usually around 1:00 or 2:00. RPI should be out by late morning and Gophers should still be #1. Win out and there's no way they won't be top team in the Des Moines Regional.
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Thank you. Gophers will most likely will move to #3 in the coaches poll and Penn State will fall to #4. My guess is USC #1, Washington #2, Minnesota #3, and Penn State #4.
 

overpass said:
Monday, usually around 1:00 or 2:00. RPI should be out by late morning and Gophers should still be #1. Win out and there's no way they won't be top team in the Des Moines Regional.
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Might have to become an unabashed band wagon jumper in that case!
 



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