University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Defeats Purdue in Four Sets
11/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The 19th-ranked Minnesota volleyball team (18-8, 8-6) defeated Purdue (16-9, 7-7) in four sets by scores of 25-18, 21-25, 31-29, 25-22 at Holloway Gym in West Lafayette, Ind. on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Freshman Ashley Wittman (Shakopee, Minn.) finished with 17 kills, 10 digs and four blocks on the night, while senior LaurenGibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) hit .400 (11-1-25) with 11 kills and eight blocks. Tabi Love (Dauphin, Manitoba) also had 13 kills and three digs. Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minn.) also had 11 kills, seven digs and six blocks on the night.
Junior Jessica Granquist (Blaine, Minn.) had 30 digs and tied a season-high four assists on the night. It marked the fifth match this year that she collected 30 or more digs. Granquist had 68 digs in two matches against Purdue this season. Mia Tabberson (Muncie, Ind.) also had 51 assists, seven digs and three kills in her first collegiate start in her homestate of Indiana.
Minnesota limited Purdue to a .047 (11-9-43) hitting percentage and hit .233 (14-4-43) to the claim the first set 25-18. The Golden Gophers jumped out to a 15-10 lead in the second set, but the Boilermakers scored 12 of the next 13 points to take a 22-16 lead. Wittman answered with consecutive kills to cut it to 22-18, but Purdue scored the next two points to make it set point at 24-18. Minnesota fought off three set points, before Catherine Rebarchak delivered a kill to tie the match at one set apiece.
In the third set, Minnesota fell behind 20-18 before Wittman delivered a kill and Gibbemeyer and Dixon combined on a block to tie the set at 20. Purdue scored three of the next four points to take a 23-21 lead. Wittman and Love delivered back-to-back kills to tie the score at 23.
Purdue had two set points, but the Gophers fought them both off and moved ahead 26-25 after an attack error from Ariel Turner. The Boilermakers fought off the set point and moved ahead 27-26 on a service ace by Turner. Rebarchak followed with consecutive attack errors to move it to set point for the Gophers at 28-27. Kristen Arthurs answered with a kill for Purdue, and following a Gopher attack error Purdue had its fourth set point at 29-28.
Following an attack error by Katie Griffin, Gibbemeyer and Wittman teamed up on a block to make it set point at 30-29. This time, Minnesota closed out the set as Dixon and Gibbemeyer combined on a block to give the Gophers a 31-29 third-set victory.
Minnesota moved out to a 16-12 lead in the fourth set, but Purdue scored six of the next seven points to take an 18-17 lead. The Boilermakers pushed their lead to 21-19 after a Minnesota attack error. Ariana Filho (Monument, Colo.) answered with a kill and Gibbemeyer and Wittman combined on a block to tie the score at 21. Purdue followed with consecutive attack errors to put the Gophers ahead 23-21. After a Griffin kill tightened it to 23-22, Gibbemeyer and Dixon combined on a block to make it match point. Tabberson dumped a kill over for the final to give Minnesota the four-set victory.
On the night, the Gophers outhit Purdue .222 (60-22-171) to .145 (59-34-173), and has 12 blocks to eight for the Boilermakers. Minnesota also had one more dig with 67 to 66 for Purdue. The Boilermakers did have three service aces and only four service errors, while the Gophers had one service ace and nine service errors.
Purdue was led by Turner who had 15 kills, three blocks and hit .316. Arthurs also had 13 kills and six blocks. Setter Jaclyn Hart finished with 44 assists, nine digs and four kills on the night.
Minnesota will be back in action when it hosts No. 15 Michigan on Friday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. The Gophers will also host Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. The Minnesota-Michigan State match can be seen on BigTenNetwork.com. Both matches can be heard live in the Gold Zone.
