University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
30-4
Hawaii
29-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 18 | 13 | 26 | 21 | 1 |
| Minnesota | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 3 |
Gophers Final Four Bound
12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Dec. 12, 2015
The University of Minnesota volleyball team defeated Hawaii in four sets in the NCAA Regional Finals on Saturday night. The Gophers took the Rainbow Wahine to four sets, 25-18, 25-13, 24-26, 25-21, to improve to 30-4 on the season and advance to the Final Four in Omaha, Neb. on Dec 17.
The win marks the fourth trip to the Final Four since 2003. The only schools with more appearances in that span are Penn State (7), Texas (6), Stanford (5), and USC (5). The victory also marks the first win against Hawaii in school history. Minnesota also achieved Final Four status in 2009, 2004 and 2003. Minnesota also defeated the 'Bows for the first time since Sept. 6, and finished the year with a 29-2 record.
Daly Santana, Hannah Tapp, and Sarah Wilhite were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Santana being named Outstanding Player of the Regional.
Minnesota out hit the 'Bows .403 to .210, and out blocked them 12-4. Santana led the team with a match-high 26 kills, hitting .438, and contributed 12 digs with three blocks. H Tapp hit 15 kills with zero errors, hitting a team-high .600, adding five blocks. Wilhite had 12 kills with only one error, and contributed five digs and four blocks. Paige Tapp had six kills and three blocks, and Molly Lohman had three kills with a match-high six blocks. Katie Schau established 10 digs, and Alyssa Goehner had six. Samantha Seliger-Swenson had a match-high 52 assists, adding six digs, and Dalianliz Rosado contributed 18 digs.
Minnesota will play the winner of the Texas/Florida match in Omaha, Neb., Dec. 17. Match time will be determined once the field is complete.
Set 1: Minnesota hit .464 to Hawaii's .108 to take the first set 25-18, and go up 1-0 over the Rainbow Warriors on the match. Daly Santana had the first point of the set and match with a kill. Minnesota took an early lead at 3-2 and hold it throughout the set. Taking a five-point lead on a 4-0 run, Minnesota would force Hawaii to take its first timeout of the set at 8-3. The Rainbows responded with its own 4-0 run, forcing Minnesota to take its first timeout of the set at 8-7. Following the timeout, the Gophers went on a 5-0 run on Paige Tapp's serve rotation. Sarah Wilhite's serve rotation would give Minnesota a 4-0 run at 22-15. A Hannah Tapp kill would end the first set.
Set 2: Minnesota hit .440 to Hawaii's .059 to take the second set 25-13, and hold a 2-0 lead on the match. Minnesota's highest lead was 12 points on the set-winning point. Minnesota opened set two with a 4-0 run on Santana's serve rotation. The Gophers held a six-point lead at 9-3, forcing Hawaii's first timeout of the set. Minnesota would continue its run into 4-0 at 11-3 on Wilhite's serve rotation. The Gophers extended their lead to nine, forcing a second Hawaii timeout at 18-9. A 3-0 run would take Minnesota to set point, and a kill by H Tapp would finish the second set.
Set 3: Hawaii hit .354 to Minnesota's .310 to take a set from the Gophers, 26-24, with Minnesota leading the match 2-1. The set was the first given up by the Gophers in the NCAA Tournament so far. There were 18 total tied scores in the set. Minnesota went on an early 3-0 run at 3-1. Teams would exchange points and tie it up with five tied scores in between points four and nine. Both teams would tie again between 12-18, with Hawaii pulling ahead for a 2-0 lead, forcing Minnesota to take its first timeout at 20-18. The Gophers tied it up at 20, forcing Hawaii to take its first timeout. Minnesota would take its second timeout trailing at 24-23, but Hawaii would finish out the set at 26-24.
Set 4: Minnesota hit .432 to Hawaii's .256 to take the fourth and final set, 25-21. Hawaii opened set four with a 3-0 run and a four-point lead, forcing Minnesota to take its first timeout of the set at 5-1. Teams would exchange points, and Minnesota would cut Hawaii's lead to one at 9-8, and tie it up at 11. The Rainbows took the lead again at 15-13, but after back and forth points, the Gophers cut short the lead to one at 19-18, forcing Hawaii's first timeout of the set. Minnesota would tie it up at 20, and go on a 3-0 run with Hawaii taking a timeout at 22-20. The Rainbows would fight back with a kill, but a kill from Santana and a Hawaii hitting error would end the match in four sets.
