University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Face No. 1 Penn State Saturday
9/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
| Minnesota (9-2) at Penn State (12-0) | |
| Sat., Sept 26 | Minnesota at Penn State (7 p.m.) |
| BTN Plus | | Game Day Page | |
| Location | Rec Hall, University Park, Pa. |
| Official Site | Minnesota | Penn State |
| Social Media | @GopherVball | Facebook |
Sept. 25, 2015
GOPHERS READY TO BEGIN BIG TEN SEASON
The No. 21 University of Minnesota volleyball program competes on the road for the second time this week as it faces No. 1 Penn State, Saturday, in University Park, Pa. Match time is set for 7 p.m. CT, changed from its original time of 6 p.m. CT.
FOLLOWING THE GOPHERS
BTN Plus is set to stream the Minnesota/Penn State match Saturday. A game day live page and live statistics will be available on gophersports.com.
ON THE DOCKET
Following Saturday's match, Minnesota returns home for the second time this season. The Golden Gophers host Northwestern, Sept. 30, followed by Illinois, Oct. 3. Both matches are slated for 7 p.m., starts and will be streamed on BTN Plus.
THE BIG TEN JUGGERNAUT
Arguably one of the toughest conferences in Division I volleyball, the Big Ten holds eight teams ranked in the recent AVCA poll with another two receiving votes. In this opening week of conference competition, there are eight match ups between ranked teams or teams receiving votes. Minnesota starts the conference season playing three ranked teams in four matches: No. 12 Ohio State (9/23), No. 1 Penn State (9/26) and No. 9 Illinois (10/3).
ABOUT PENN STATE
The No. 1 Nittany Lions are not only the top-ranked team in the nation, they have won all 12 of their matches in three-set fashion. In fact, there has only been one of PSU's sets that has gone 25-23 this season (Villanova, Aug. 29). PSU is hitting .339 as a team and averages 3.33 blocks per set. PSU swept No. 16 Wisconsin, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20, to open the Big Ten season Wednesday.
Four Nittany Lions have over 100 kills this season. Haleigh Washington is hitting a team-best .560, while Aiyana Whitney has a team-high 115 kills. Washington also averages 1.58 blocks per set. Megan Courtney and Ali Frantti each have 107 kills. Bryanna Weiskircher has 374 assists and 12 aces, while Keeton Holcomb has 122 digs.
ALL TIME SERIES & LAST TIME
Penn State holds a 42-7 all time lead against Minnesota, dating back to 1983. Minnesota's last win against PSU dates back to 2010 when the Gophers earned a 3-2 decision. Last year against the Nittany Lions, Minnesota fell, 3-1, at the Sports Pavilion last September, while PSU swept the Gophers, 3-0, in University Park, Pa., November 2014.
GOPHERS UPSET NO. 12 OHIO STATE
Minnesota volleyball program earned an upset win over No. 12 Ohio State, 3-2, Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio. The Golden Gophers improve to 9-2 overall and now 1-0 in the Big Ten Conference. The win also marks the highest-ranked team the Gophers have defeated this season, after defeating then No. 18 North Carolina earlier this year.
Daly Santana led the team with 19 kills, followed by Paige Tapp with 15 and Hannah Tapp with 12. Minnesota hit .198 as a team and had 12 blocks. OSU hit .162 and had 13 blocks. The Gophers held a 78-71 dig advantage and a 62-57 lead in kills. Dalianliz Rosado had a match-high 20 digs, while Samantha Seliger-Swenson contributed 53 assists and six kills.
ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END
Prior to dropping two sets against Ohio State on Wednesday, Minnesota rode a 24-set win streak. The span lasted from the fifth set of the Louisville match (9/4) to Wednesday's match against Ohio State in the third set. Prior to the OSU win, Minnesota went 22-0 against their opponents and won eight matches in straight sets. However, the Gophers look to continue a nine-match win streak this Saturday against Penn State.
WHERE THEY RANK
Through the non-conference season and the first match in Big Ten play, Minnesota ranks high within a few NCAA categories. The Gophers rank 21st in team hitting percentage (.272) and 10th in blocks per set (2.87).
SELIGER-SWENSON RECEIVES B1G WEEKLY AWARD
For the third-straight week, freshman setter Samantha Seliger-Swenson has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, announced Monday by the conference office. She shares this week's award with Nebraska's Mikaela Foecke. Seliger-Swenson's recent accolade is the sixth honor for the Golden Gophers this season.
Seliger-Swenson led the Gophers with 96 assists as the team hit .317 on the weekend. Minnesota hit .422 in the opening match against Bryant as she had 35 assists and an ace. Playing in two of the three sets against Sam Houston State, Seliger-Swenson tacked on another 21 assists, two digs and a block assist. In the College of Charleston finale, she posted 40 assists, an ace and a solo block and two block assists. On the season, the rookie has 368 assists to average 11.15 per set. She has also accomplished 11 blocks, eight aces and 49 digs in her young career.
GOPHERS RANKED NATIONALLY
Minnesota is ranked 21st in the recent American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, announced Monday by the organization. The Gophers jumped up two spots from 23 to 21 this week.
Minnesota received 297 votes for the No. 21 spot this week. After dropping the opening season contests against Texas A&M and then-No. 2 Stanford, Minnesota has won the last eight straight. The Gophers are one of eight teams ranked within the Big Ten Conference. Penn State holds the overall No. 1 spot, followed by Nebraska (4), Illinois (9), Ohio State (12), Wisconsin (16), Purdue (20) and Michigan (22).
