The 10th-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers (23-7, 17-3) tied a school record for Big Ten victories, as it wrapped up Big Ten play with a three-game victory over Indiana (10-22, 1-19) at University Gym in its Big Ten season finale on Saturday, Nov. 25.
With the win, the Golden Gophers finished in sole possession for second place in the Big Ten at 17-3. The 17-3 record tied Minnesota's records in 2000, 2002 and 2004.
The Golden Gophers three four-year seniors (Kelly Bowman, Meredith Nelson and Malama Peniata) also tied for the best Big Ten record by a senior class. The three seniors were 63-17 in Big Ten play in their four years at Minnesota. That matches last year's senior class of Jessica Byrnes, Paula Gentil and Athena Mallakis, who finished with the same record..
Minnesota will return home to watch the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 26 somewhere in the range between 2 and 3 p.m. (CT) on ESPNews. Stay tuned to gophersports.com for more information of the Golden Gophers in the NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Gophers were led by Jessy Jones (Naperville, Ill.) who hit .375 (13-4-24) with 13 kills. Meredith Nelson (St. Croix Falls, Wis.) also hit .346 (13-4-26) with 13 kills. Kyla Roehrig (Papillion, Neb.) had 12 kills and three blocks, while Meghan Cumpston (Red Bluff, Calif.) had 11 kills, 10 digs and four service aces.
Senior Kelly Bowman (Maple Grove, Minn.) had a match-high 15 digs and five kills. Malama Peniata (Plymouth, Minn.) also had 12 digs and three assists, while Rachel Hartmann (St. Charles, Ill.) had 45 assists and five digs.
The Golden Gophers outhit Indiana .266 to .096, and had 56 kills to the Hoosiers' 32. Minnesota also outdug the Indiana 54 to 36.
Minnesota took its first lead of game one at 6-5, but Indiana responded with three straight points to go ahead 8-6. Jones followed with a kill and Roehrig had a solo block to tie the game at eight. The Hoosiers scored two of the next three points to take a 10-9 lead over Minnesota. Jones and Nelson responded with back-to-back kills to give the Golden Gophers an 11-10 lead.
Indiana tied the score at 11, but Nelson and Cumpston delivered consecutive kills to put Minnesota up 13-11. The Hoosiers responded with consecutive points to tie it at13. The Golden Gophers moved back ahead at 14-13. Cumpston helped build the Minnesota lead up to 17-13 with three straight service aces. Indiana cut it to 17-14, but Nelson and Roehrig delivered back-to-back kills to push the lead out to 19-14. After back-to-back Indiana points made it 19-16, Roehrig and Jones delivered consecutive kills to make it 21-16. Jones followed with a solo block to make it 22-16.
The Hoosiers cut it to 22-17, but the Golden Gophers scored three of the next four points to take a 25-18 lead. Minnesota pushed the lead to 28-21, before Nelson delivered a kill to give the Golden Gophers game point at 29-21. Hartmann and Jones combined on a block to give Minnesota game one 30-21.
Minnesota outhit Indiana .256 to .125 in game one, and had 16 kills to 12 for the Hoosiers. The Golden Gophers also had three service aces errors, all by Cumpston. Nelson led the way with six kills for Minnesota.
The Golden Gophers jumped out to a 10-5 lead in game two. Indiana scored three of the next five points to cut it to 12-8, before Bowman and Cumpston answered with consecutive kills to make it 14-8. Indiana cut it to 14-10, but the Minnesota answered with five of the next six points to move ahead 19-11. Nelson and Cumpston had consecutive kills to put the Golden Gophers 16-10. The Hoosiers cut it to 16-11, but Nelson delivered back-to-back kills and combined on a block with Roehrig to make it 19-11.
Indiana scored two straight points to make it 19-13, but Roehrig delivered a kill to make it 20-13. The Hoosiers cut it to a five-point lead at 21-16 when they scored three of the next four points. Roehrig followed with a kill to make it 22-16. After another Golden Gopher point, Jones had a kill to make it 24-16. Indiana rattled off three straight points to make it 24-19, but Minnesota responded with back-to-back points to make it 26-19.
The Hoosiers cut it to 28-22, before Katie Vatterrodt (Bloomington, Ill.) delivered a kill to make it game point at 29-22. Nelson finished off the second game with a kill to give Minnesota a 2-0 lead in the match.
Minnesota outhit Indiana .304 to .000 in the second game, and had 21 kills to eight for the Hoosiers. Jones and Nelson led the way with six and five kills respectively.
In game three Indiana jumped out to a 12-7 lead, but Minnesota scored 10 of the next 12 points to take a 17-14 lead. The two teams exchanged the next eight points to make it 21-18. Indiana came back with six of the next seven points to go ahead 24-22. Minnesota tied the score at 24 with back-to-back kills from Jones and Cumpston. Bowman put the Golden Gophers ahead 25-24, but Indiana tied it at 25.
Cumpston put Minnesota ahead with a kill, and Bowman and Nelson combined on a block to put the Golden Gophers ahead 27-25. Minnesota pushed it to 28-25, before Indiana scored to make it 28-26. Bowman delivered a kill to make it match point at 29-26. Nelson followed with a kill to give Minnesota the three-game victory.
Erica Short led the way for Indiana with 11 kills and six digs. Juli Pierce also had 11 digs, three assists and two service aces.
