University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Volleyball Heads to Michigan
11/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
 Minnesota will play its second match of the week at Michigan on Friday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. (CT). The Wolverines, who are currently on a three-match losing streak, are 17-7 overall and have a 5-7 Big Ten record. Minnesota enters the match with a 13-10 overall record, and is in fifth place at 6-7. Michigan is coming off losses against Northwestern and Michigan State this past week. Last week, the Golden Gophers dropped a pair of matches to No. 2 Penn State and Ohio State. Minnesota snapped a seven-match losing streak on Oct. 31 with a three-game victory over Iowa.
Minnesota dropped out of the top 25 for the first time since Sept. 25, 2006, snapping a stretch of 19 straight weeks that the Golden Gophers had been ranked. It is only the eighth time in the last 90 weeks that Minnesota has not been in the top 25. The Golden Gophers have usually played themselves back into the rankings quickly during that timeframe, as they have now gone 14-3 overall in that span as an unranked team after defeating Iowa on Oct. 31. Minnesota defeated No. 8 Pepperdine and lost in four games to No. 1 Stanford in 2002 when it started off the season unranked. In 2003, the Golden Gophers were unranked from Sept. 29 to Oct. 13. In that stretch, Minnesota went 6-0 as it defeated Northwestern, Illinois, Iowa, No. 21 Wisconsin, Ohio State and No. 13 Penn State. Last year, the Golden Gophers were unranked from Sept. 4 to Sept. 25, and went 6-2 with wins over No. 25 Cal Poly, UConn, Tulane, Dayton, Northwestern and Illinois. Its only losses in that stretch came to No. 1 Nebraska and Louisville.
 Since 2002, Minnesota is 40-13 in the second half of the Big Ten season. The Golden Gophers have started the second half 1-2 this year. Minnesota was 8-2 in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. The Golden Gophers were also 7-3 in 2003 in the second half of the year. Minnesota has home matches remaining against Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan State. The Golden Gophers also have road matches against Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois and Wisconsin remaining.
 Minnesota senior middle blocker Jessy Jones had five blocks on Oct. 31 against Iowa to move to 432 for her career. That total puts Jones two blocks away from tying Dawn Thompson (1987-90) for fifth on the Gophers’ all-time blocks list. Jones is currently sixth on the list, after passing Lori Miller (1986-1989) on Oct. 31.
 Minnesota enters Friday’s match with an average of 3.49 blpg. The Golden Gophers are on pace to surpass their record for blocks per game, which was set in 2000 when they averaged 3.29 blpg. Minnesota has not averaged over 3.00 blocks per game since 2000. In fact, 1999 and 2000 are the only years in school history that the Golden Gophers have averaged more then 3.00 blocks per game as a team. Minnesota has kept blocks per game as a stat since the 1983 season.
 Junior Katie Vatterrodt had a season-high 14 kills against Iowa on Oct. 31. With the 14 kills, Vatterrodt recorded her first double-figure kill total of the year. She also had six digs and three blocks on the night as well. Vatterrodt’s 14 kills against Iowa were her most since she had 17 against No. 1 Nebraska on Sept. 10, 2006.
Minnesota dropped out of the top 25 for the first time since Sept. 25, 2006, snapping a stretch of 19 straight weeks that the Golden Gophers had been ranked. It is only the eighth time in the last 90 weeks that Minnesota has not been in the top 25. The Golden Gophers have usually played themselves back into the rankings quickly during that timeframe, as they have now gone 14-3 overall in that span as an unranked team after defeating Iowa on Oct. 31. Minnesota defeated No. 8 Pepperdine and lost in four games to No. 1 Stanford in 2002 when it started off the season unranked. In 2003, the Golden Gophers were unranked from Sept. 29 to Oct. 13. In that stretch, Minnesota went 6-0 as it defeated Northwestern, Illinois, Iowa, No. 21 Wisconsin, Ohio State and No. 13 Penn State. Last year, the Golden Gophers were unranked from Sept. 4 to Sept. 25, and went 6-2 with wins over No. 25 Cal Poly, UConn, Tulane, Dayton, Northwestern and Illinois. Its only losses in that stretch came to No. 1 Nebraska and Louisville.
 Since 2002, Minnesota is 40-13 in the second half of the Big Ten season. The Golden Gophers have started the second half 1-2 this year. Minnesota was 8-2 in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. The Golden Gophers were also 7-3 in 2003 in the second half of the year. Minnesota has home matches remaining against Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan State. The Golden Gophers also have road matches against Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois and Wisconsin remaining.
 Minnesota senior middle blocker Jessy Jones had five blocks on Oct. 31 against Iowa to move to 432 for her career. That total puts Jones two blocks away from tying Dawn Thompson (1987-90) for fifth on the Gophers’ all-time blocks list. Jones is currently sixth on the list, after passing Lori Miller (1986-1989) on Oct. 31.
 Minnesota enters Friday’s match with an average of 3.49 blpg. The Golden Gophers are on pace to surpass their record for blocks per game, which was set in 2000 when they averaged 3.29 blpg. Minnesota has not averaged over 3.00 blocks per game since 2000. In fact, 1999 and 2000 are the only years in school history that the Golden Gophers have averaged more then 3.00 blocks per game as a team. Minnesota has kept blocks per game as a stat since the 1983 season.
 Junior Katie Vatterrodt had a season-high 14 kills against Iowa on Oct. 31. With the 14 kills, Vatterrodt recorded her first double-figure kill total of the year. She also had six digs and three blocks on the night as well. Vatterrodt’s 14 kills against Iowa were her most since she had 17 against No. 1 Nebraska on Sept. 10, 2006.
Players Mentioned
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/ VolleyballHighlights: Gophers 3, Iowa 0
Sunday, November 16
Highlights: Gophers 3, Penn State 0
Friday, November 14
Highlights: Gophers 0, Nebraska 3
Saturday, November 08
Highlights: Gophers 1, Wisconsin 3
Wednesday, November 05