University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
16-10, 6-9Big Ten
Northwestern
15-11, 5-10Big Ten
Gophers Top Wildcats in Four Sets at Home
11/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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Nov. 12, 2014
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The University of Minnesota defeated Northwestern in four sets, 20-25, 25-20, 25-18, and 25-15 at home Wednesday night to improve their overall record to 16-10, and 6-9 in Big Ten play.
Minnesota hit .313 in the win, while it held Northwestern to .236. Minnesota had 63 kills to Northwestern's 52, outblocked the Wildcats, 12-8, and posted a 64-59 dig advantage.
The Gophers were led by Daly Santana, who tied a career-high 21 kills as she hit .429 (21-3-43). Sarah Wilhite followed with a double double when she had 18 kills, 16 digs and hit .395. Erica Handley came into the match in the second set and established a match-best 43 assists. Paige Tapp had 10 kills, eight total blocks (2-8) and hit .333. Molly Lohman also came off the bench and had four kills in eight attempts and had two blocks. Dalianliz Rosado added a match-high 19 digs and had five assists.
The Gophers travel to No. 6 Penn State, Saturday. Match time is set for 6 p.m. CT.
Set 1: Northwestern took the first set, 25-20 and a 1-0 lead. The two teams exchanged points until 12-12 before Northwestern used a 8-1 run to push the score to 20-14, primarily off of Monica McGreal’s serve rotation. Minnesota cut the lead to 23-19 on three-straight kills from Minnesota and an attack error for Northwestern. Minnesota pushed the set to 24-20 on a kill by Wilhite, but Northwestern took the first set on a kill by Symone Abbott, her fifth of the set. The Wildcats won the set hitting .233 to Minnesota’s .205
Set 2: Minnesota evened up the match with a 25-20 come-from-behind set win. Minnesota trailed as much as 18-14 as Minnesota took its second timeout. The Gophers, however, used the timeout to start the comeback. Minnesota would go on a 4-0 run on a kill from Santana, a Northwestern ball-handling error and a kill by Wilhite and Lohman. The Gophers would take a 19-18 lead on a Santana kill. After a Northwestern kill, Minnesota would close out the set on a 6-1 run, capped off by Santana on a kill for set point and a block by Wilhite and Paige Tapp. Minnesota bettered its hitting percentage in the second set, at .229 to Northwestern’s .214.
Set 3: Minnesota hit .385 in the third set and capitalized on four sets for a 25-18 set win. As the two teams were tied until the 11-11 mark, Minnesota used a block from Wilhite and Lohman and a kill from Goehner to push the lead to 16-13 Minnesota. Minnesota would go up 20-15 on a Santana/Paige Tapp block. Wilhite added the Gophers’ 22nd and 23rd points on kill, while a Lohman kill brought it to set point. Minnesota finished off the set with block from Lohman and Adrianna Nora. In the third set alone, Wilhite had eight attempts, committed just one error and had four kills.
Set 4: The Gophers earned a four-set win when they put away the match on a 25-15 win. Minnesota had 18 kills, commit just one error in 32 attempts to hit .531. Paced by Santana’s eight kills and hitting .667, Santana did not commit and error in the set. Minnesota also had three blocks in the set and established 22 points. Minnesota held the lead from the 3-2 mark and never looked back. The Gophers went up 12-9 on a Handley ace and 14-10 on a Northwestern attack error before the Wildcats called a timeout. Minnesota pushed the lead to 18-13 on a Santana kill, which forced Northwestern to use another timeout. The Gophers finished off the set with a 7-2 run, including five-straight points.
