University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
17-4, 9-3Big Ten
Penn State
17-6, 9-3Big Ten
No. 3 Minnesota Sweeps No. 10 Penn State
10/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Tickets: Gophers Host Indiana Wednesday
The No. 3 University of Minnesota volleyball team swept No. 10 Penn State on Saturday night, 25-17, 25-20, 25-18, in front of a sold out crowd of 5,391. Minnesota and Penn State split the season, each winning on its home court as they last met on Oct. 5 when Penn State won in five sets. Minnesota improves to 17-4 on the season and 9-3 in the Big Ten, and 8-0 at the Sports Pavilion.
As a team, the Gophers hit .374 to Penn State's .195, earning 46 kills, 51 digs, and 12 blocks. Sarah Wilhite led the team with 15 kills and just one error, hitting .359, also earning eight digs and four blocks. Hannah Tapp followed with ten kills and zero errors, hitting .556, adding four blocks. Alexis Hart earned nine kills, and Molly Lohman had eight with a match-high .889 hitting percentage, adding seven blocks. Paige Tapp also put up seven blocks, adding four kills. Katie Schau had a match-high 16 digs, while Dalianliz Rosado had 13. Samantha Seliger-Swenson established 37 assists, with five digs.
The Gophers will remain at home, playing Wednesday night against Indiana at 7 p.m.
Set Breakdown:
Set 1:
Minnesota hit .448 to Penn State's .211 to take the first set 25-17. Lohman started off the match with a kill in the middle. The set remained evenly matched, with seven tied scores until Minnesota tied it up at 11 and went on a 5-0 run. The Gophers increased their lead to five, causing Penn State to take a timeout at 17-12. Minnesota went on a 3-1 run to increase the lead to seven, forcing a second Nittany Lion timeout at 20-13. Back-to-back kills from Hart ended the set.
Set 2:
The Gophers hit .333 to the Nittany Lions' .176 to go up 2-0 on the match, winning the set 25-20. Blocks from Lohman/P Tapp and an ace from Seliger-Swenson opened the second set on a 4-0 run for the Gophers. Minnesota continued to hold the lead after back-and-forth rallies, with line shot kill from Hart ending a long rally at 15-11. The Gophers extended their lead to five, forcing Penn State to take its first timeout of the set at 17-12. Minnesota earned a six-point lead at 20-14, the highest lead of the set, and shortly after caused the Nittany Lions to take their second timeout of the set at 22-17. Hart put the Gophers at set point, and a Penn State error ended the set.
Set 3:
The Gophers hit .359 to Penn State's .205 to take the set and match, 25-18. Minnesota took an early lead and held onto it, going on a 5-2 run to increase the lead to 15-11 off two kills each from Hart and H Tapp. A kill off an overpass forced Penn State to take its first timeout at 17-12. Back-to-back blocks by Lohman and P Tapp continued the momentum, putting the Gophers at 19-13. A Penn State error put Minnesota at match point, and a block by Lohman and P Tapp ended the match.
