University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Travels to Ohio State and Michigan
10/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
 Minnesota will hit the road this week as it travels to Ohio State and No. 20 Michigan. The Golden Gophers will face the Buckeyes in Columbus on Friday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m., and then travel to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. (CT). Friday’s match against Ohio State can be seen on live video in the Gold Zone, while Saturday’s match against Michigan will be shown on the Big Ten Network on a tape-delayed basis on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. The Buckeyes enter the week with a 10-10 overall record and are tied for 10th in the conference with a 1-7 Big Ten record. The Wolverines are 16-4 overall, and are currently tied with Wisconsin and Iowa for fifth place in the Big Ten. Minnesota has a 17-3 overall record, and is in second place at 7-1 in the Big Ten.
 Minnesota is currently leading the Big Ten in digs per set and is second in blocks per set. The Golden Gophers have 2.92 blps and 17.87 dps. Minnesota trails Penn State in blocks (3.22-to-2.92), and has a fairly wide margin in digs over Illinois, who is second in the conference at 17.87-to-15.64. The Golden Gophers are also second in the Big Ten opposing hitting percentage at .144. Penn State leads the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage at .068. Penn State (1992, 93, 94, 96) and Iowa (1988) are the only teams in the history of the Big Ten to finish the year leading the conference in both blocks and digs.
 Minnesota is tied for the most matches played against ranked opposition, and the most victories against ranked opponents among teams in the top 25. The Golden Gophers have faced eight ranked teams this year. Illinois, Oregon State and Washington are each tied with Minnesota for the most matches against ranked opposition. The Golden Gophers’ six victories are tied with Penn State for the most wins against ranked teams this year. Illinois, Nebraska and Washington are each tied for third with five victories against ranked teams. Minnesota’s wins against ranked teams have come against No. 21 LSU, No. 4 California, No. 16 Cal Poly, No. 18 Wisconsin, No. 19 Illinois and No. 18 Purdue. The Golden Gophers two losses have come to No. 11 Hawai’i and No. 1 Penn State. Minnesota has faced a ranked team in six of the eight weekends it has competed this year. With the Golden Gophers’ matchup against No. 20 Michigan, that will become seven of nine weeks.
As of Oct. 19, Minnesota is the only school in the nation to be in the top 10 nationally among blocks and digs. The Golden Gophers are fourth in the nation in blocks at 2.92 blps and are third in digs at 17.87 dps. Minnesota leads the Big Ten in digs per set as a team, and is second in blocks to Penn State who leads the nation. The 1994 Penn State squad is the only team in the last 15 years to finish in the top 10 nationally in both blocks and digs at the end of a season. The Golden Gophers also finished fourth in the nation last year, and averaged a school-record 3.54 blps.
Minnesota’s 17-3 start in the first 20 matches is tied for the fourth-best under Mike Hebert. The Golden Gophers started 19-1 in 2000, 18-2 in 2002 and in 2004.
Minnesota’s 7-1 Big Ten is tied for the best start under Mike Hebert. The Golden Gophers also started out 7-1 in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. In all five of those seasons, Minnesota advanced to the NCAA Regionals.
 Minnesota is currently leading the Big Ten in digs per set and is second in blocks per set. The Golden Gophers have 2.92 blps and 17.87 dps. Minnesota trails Penn State in blocks (3.22-to-2.92), and has a fairly wide margin in digs over Illinois, who is second in the conference at 17.87-to-15.64. The Golden Gophers are also second in the Big Ten opposing hitting percentage at .144. Penn State leads the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage at .068. Penn State (1992, 93, 94, 96) and Iowa (1988) are the only teams in the history of the Big Ten to finish the year leading the conference in both blocks and digs.
 Minnesota is tied for the most matches played against ranked opposition, and the most victories against ranked opponents among teams in the top 25. The Golden Gophers have faced eight ranked teams this year. Illinois, Oregon State and Washington are each tied with Minnesota for the most matches against ranked opposition. The Golden Gophers’ six victories are tied with Penn State for the most wins against ranked teams this year. Illinois, Nebraska and Washington are each tied for third with five victories against ranked teams. Minnesota’s wins against ranked teams have come against No. 21 LSU, No. 4 California, No. 16 Cal Poly, No. 18 Wisconsin, No. 19 Illinois and No. 18 Purdue. The Golden Gophers two losses have come to No. 11 Hawai’i and No. 1 Penn State. Minnesota has faced a ranked team in six of the eight weekends it has competed this year. With the Golden Gophers’ matchup against No. 20 Michigan, that will become seven of nine weeks.
As of Oct. 19, Minnesota is the only school in the nation to be in the top 10 nationally among blocks and digs. The Golden Gophers are fourth in the nation in blocks at 2.92 blps and are third in digs at 17.87 dps. Minnesota leads the Big Ten in digs per set as a team, and is second in blocks to Penn State who leads the nation. The 1994 Penn State squad is the only team in the last 15 years to finish in the top 10 nationally in both blocks and digs at the end of a season. The Golden Gophers also finished fourth in the nation last year, and averaged a school-record 3.54 blps.
Minnesota’s 17-3 start in the first 20 matches is tied for the fourth-best under Mike Hebert. The Golden Gophers started 19-1 in 2000, 18-2 in 2002 and in 2004.
Minnesota’s 7-1 Big Ten is tied for the best start under Mike Hebert. The Golden Gophers also started out 7-1 in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. In all five of those seasons, Minnesota advanced to the NCAA Regionals.
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