University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Volleyball Heads to Ohio State and Penn State
10/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
 Minnesota will hit the road to face Ohio State and No. 3 Penn State this week. The Golden Gophers will face the Buckeyes on Friday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. (CT). That match will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network (DiRecTV Channel 220). Minnesota will then travel to State College to face the Nittany Lions on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. (CT). Ohio State enters the week with a 7-6 overall record, and is tied for seventh in the Big Ten at 1-3. Penn State has a 12-2 overall record and sits in a three-way tied for first place in the Big Ten at 4-0 with Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Golden Gophers entered the week ranked No. 11 in the nation, and are 11-3 overall.
 After defeating Michigan on Sept. 30, Minnesota has now won 24 of its last 27 Big Ten matches (24-3) dating back to the end of the 2005 Big Ten season. In 2005, the Golden Gophers defeated Ohio State, Illinois and Purdue to finish the season. Last year Minnesota went 17-3 in Big Ten play, and this year the Golden Gophers have gone 4-0. Penn State, who has gone 25-2 in that span, is the only team in the Big Ten with a better record in the last 27 matches. Wisconsin is third at 23-4, Ohio State is fourth at 16-11, Purdue is fifth at 15-12, Northwestern is sixth at 11-16, Michigan State and Illinois are tied for seventh at 10-17, Michigan is ninth at 9-18, while Indiana and Iowa are each 3-24.
 Minnesota defeated Michigan on Sept. 30 to move to 4-0 in Big Ten play. It marks the fifth time that the Golden Gophers have started 4-0 in Big Ten play, and the second year in a row. Minnesota also started out 4-0 in 1999 (7-0), 2000 (4-0), 2002 (5-0) and in 2006 (4-0). The Golden Gophers best start came in 1999 when they won their first seven Big Ten matches on their way to finishing second in the Big Ten at 15-5. In 2000, the Golden Gophers finished in second place at 17-3. Minnesota also won the Big Ten in 2002 with a 17-3 record, and finished 17-3 in 2006 as well.
Minnesota has won its first four Big Ten matches this year to extend its winning streak to 10 conference matches dating back to 2006. The Golden Gophers defeated Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue and Indiana to close out Big Ten play in 2006. This year, Minnesota has defeated Purdue, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan. It marks only the third time in school history that the Golden Gophers have accumulated a double-figure Big Ten winning streak. Minnesota had a school-record 11-match winning streak from Oct. 16-Nov. 27, 2002 when it won the Big Ten title. The Golden Gophers also won 10 straight conference matches in 2003 when it had a stretch from Oct. 3-31, 2003.
Minnesota has claimed three-game victories in all four of its Big Ten matches this year. The Golden Gophers also had three-game victories in their final two conference matches last year against Purdue and Indiana. Minnesota has now claimed 19 straight games over the span of its last seven matches going back to 2006. The last time the Golden Gophers dropped a game in Big Ten play came on Nov. 18, 2006 against Iowa in the third game of the match.
Minnesota senior middle blocker Jessy Jones will miss both of this week’s matches against Ohio State and Penn State. Jones suffered an ankle injury against Michigan on Sept. 30 early in the second game. Kelly Schmidt will start at middle blocker for Jones this week. Jones’ ankle injury will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
 After defeating Michigan on Sept. 30, Minnesota has now won 24 of its last 27 Big Ten matches (24-3) dating back to the end of the 2005 Big Ten season. In 2005, the Golden Gophers defeated Ohio State, Illinois and Purdue to finish the season. Last year Minnesota went 17-3 in Big Ten play, and this year the Golden Gophers have gone 4-0. Penn State, who has gone 25-2 in that span, is the only team in the Big Ten with a better record in the last 27 matches. Wisconsin is third at 23-4, Ohio State is fourth at 16-11, Purdue is fifth at 15-12, Northwestern is sixth at 11-16, Michigan State and Illinois are tied for seventh at 10-17, Michigan is ninth at 9-18, while Indiana and Iowa are each 3-24.
 Minnesota defeated Michigan on Sept. 30 to move to 4-0 in Big Ten play. It marks the fifth time that the Golden Gophers have started 4-0 in Big Ten play, and the second year in a row. Minnesota also started out 4-0 in 1999 (7-0), 2000 (4-0), 2002 (5-0) and in 2006 (4-0). The Golden Gophers best start came in 1999 when they won their first seven Big Ten matches on their way to finishing second in the Big Ten at 15-5. In 2000, the Golden Gophers finished in second place at 17-3. Minnesota also won the Big Ten in 2002 with a 17-3 record, and finished 17-3 in 2006 as well.
Minnesota has won its first four Big Ten matches this year to extend its winning streak to 10 conference matches dating back to 2006. The Golden Gophers defeated Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue and Indiana to close out Big Ten play in 2006. This year, Minnesota has defeated Purdue, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan. It marks only the third time in school history that the Golden Gophers have accumulated a double-figure Big Ten winning streak. Minnesota had a school-record 11-match winning streak from Oct. 16-Nov. 27, 2002 when it won the Big Ten title. The Golden Gophers also won 10 straight conference matches in 2003 when it had a stretch from Oct. 3-31, 2003.
Minnesota has claimed three-game victories in all four of its Big Ten matches this year. The Golden Gophers also had three-game victories in their final two conference matches last year against Purdue and Indiana. Minnesota has now claimed 19 straight games over the span of its last seven matches going back to 2006. The last time the Golden Gophers dropped a game in Big Ten play came on Nov. 18, 2006 against Iowa in the third game of the match.
Minnesota senior middle blocker Jessy Jones will miss both of this week’s matches against Ohio State and Penn State. Jones suffered an ankle injury against Michigan on Sept. 30 early in the second game. Kelly Schmidt will start at middle blocker for Jones this week. Jones’ ankle injury will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
Players Mentioned
MB/RS
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