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Gophers Close Out Regular Season On the Road
11/20/2018 4:38:00 PM | Volleyball
MINNESOTA CLOSES OUT REGULAR SEASON ON THE ROAD
The University of Minnesota closes out the regular season this weekend when it travels to Penn State and Rutgers, Friday and Saturday night. Friday's match is at 7 p.m. CT, followed by a 6 p.m. CT tilt on Saturday.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Friday's match against the Nittany Lions will be televised on Big Ten Network. The Gophers will be on BTN Plus Saturday. Gophersports.com will also feature a game day live page.
GOPHER'S LAST ACTION
Minnesota earned a five-set win over Ohio State, Saturday, Nov. 17, in Columbus, Ohio. Regan Pittman led the team with a career-high 20 kills while hitting .594, and also chipped in three aces. Stephanie Samedy notched a double-double with 17 kills and a team-leading, and career-high, 21 digs. She also posted a career-high five aces. Alexis Hart recorded 14 kills and was followed by Taylor Morgan who added 11 kills while hitting .500. Morgan had a team-best four blocks. Samantha Seliger-Swenson recorded a new season-high 58 assists. CC McGraw produced 18 digs and was followed by Adanna Rollins with 10. The Gophers outhit Ohio State .315 to .207. As a team, Minnesota recorded 74 digs, 68 kills, and seven blocks. The Gophers also had a season-best 10 aces. The Buckeyes had 80 digs, 64 kills and four blocks as a team.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
With the five-set win over Ohio State, Minnesota clinched the 2018 Big Ten championship, Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio. It marked the third conference championship for the Gophers in program history and the second since 2015. Minnesota clinched the title outright on the last game of the season in 2015, while the Gophers still have two matches remaining in the 2018 regular season schedule (Penn State and Rutgers this weekend).
With the win, the Gophers also punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament. With no conference tournament in volleyball, the Big Ten regular season champion solidifies the league's automatic bid.
NCAA SELECTION SHOW SET FOR NOV. 25
The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship bracket will be announced the Sunday before the first round of competition at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
ABOUT PENN STATE
No. 7 Penn State is 22-6 overall and 13-5 in the Big Ten after sweeping Michigan State and Northwestern last week. The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in blocks per set (2.89) and are second in opponents hitting percentage, holding them to .159. Penn State's .264 hitting percentage is fourth in the conference and they are fourth in kills per set (13.80). Jonni Parker, named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, has a team-high 271 kills (2.88 per set). Libero Kendall White is third in the Big Ten, averaging 4.74 digs per set while Bryanna Weiskircher rounds out the top five in the Big Ten for assists per set, averaging 10.72. Kaitlyn Hord is fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.387). Serena Gray's 108 blocks this season leads the Nittany Lions and ranks her fourth in blocks per set in the conference (1.27).
ABOUT RUTGERS
After falling in three to Illinois and five to Michigan State, Rutgers is 6-25 overall and 0-18 in conference play. The Scarlet Knights play No. 8 Wisconsin on Friday before facing the Gophers Saturday. As a team, they average 11.56 kills per set and 12.12 digs per set. Their 2.70 blocks per set is third among all teams in the Big Ten. Sahbria McLetchie has a team-high 290 kills and averages 2.99 per set. Beka Kojadinovic averages 2.02 kills per set. Jasmine Stackhouse averages 1.14 per set, while Inna Balyko averages 9.38 assists per set. Karysa Swackenberg averages 3.13 digs per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Penn State holds a 47-11 all-time record against the Gophers. Minnesota and Penn State started the Big Ten season against each other when the Gophers defeated the Nittany Lions, 3-0, on Sept. 19. Minnesota, however, will be looking for its first win in Happy Valley since 2004.
The Gophers are 6-2 all-time against Rutgers, dating back to their first meeting in 1983. Since Rutgers has joined the Big Ten (2014), the Gophers are 6-0. Saturday's meeting marks the first and only time these two teams meet this season.
GOPHERS RANKED THIRD IN AVCA
Minnesota remains at No. 3 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). In all, seven Big Ten Conference teams are ranked in the top 25: Minnesota (3), Illinois (4), Nebraska (6), Penn State (7), Wisconsin (8), Purdue (12) and Michigan (18). Two non-conference opponents are also ranked in No. 2 Stanford and No. 17 Oregon.
NCAA RPI
Minnesota is ranked No. 2 in the NCAA's RPI, which is updated each Monday throughout the remainder of the season. Stanford holds the No. 1 spot, followed by Minnesota, Texas, Illinois and BYI. In all, six Big Ten teams are within the top 16 RPI.
GOPHER STATS IN BIG TEN
Since the start of the Big Ten season, Minnesota has held its conference opponents to hitting below .200 in 12 of 18 matches. In fact, the Gophers have held their opponents to below a .200 hitting clip in 18 of 26 matches this season.
WELCOME TO MINNESOTA
University of Minnesota volleyball has announced three additions to the 2019 roster. The Golden Gophers welcome Ellie Husemann (Eagan, Minn.), Rachel Kilkelly (Shakopee, Minn.) and Shea Rubright (Yakima, Wash.) to the program. Rubright is scheduled to join the program this January, while Husemann and Kilkelly will begin their collegiate careers in the fall of 2019. Husemann, a 6-foot, 3-inch middle blocker, plays for Eagan High School and Northern Lights Club Volleyball. Kilkelly, a 5-foot, 9-inch defensive specialist, plays for Shakopee High School and Northern Lights Club Volleyball. Rubright, a 6-foot, 5-inch middle blocker, plays for West Valley High School and Central Region United club team.
The University of Minnesota closes out the regular season this weekend when it travels to Penn State and Rutgers, Friday and Saturday night. Friday's match is at 7 p.m. CT, followed by a 6 p.m. CT tilt on Saturday.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Friday's match against the Nittany Lions will be televised on Big Ten Network. The Gophers will be on BTN Plus Saturday. Gophersports.com will also feature a game day live page.
GOPHER'S LAST ACTION
Minnesota earned a five-set win over Ohio State, Saturday, Nov. 17, in Columbus, Ohio. Regan Pittman led the team with a career-high 20 kills while hitting .594, and also chipped in three aces. Stephanie Samedy notched a double-double with 17 kills and a team-leading, and career-high, 21 digs. She also posted a career-high five aces. Alexis Hart recorded 14 kills and was followed by Taylor Morgan who added 11 kills while hitting .500. Morgan had a team-best four blocks. Samantha Seliger-Swenson recorded a new season-high 58 assists. CC McGraw produced 18 digs and was followed by Adanna Rollins with 10. The Gophers outhit Ohio State .315 to .207. As a team, Minnesota recorded 74 digs, 68 kills, and seven blocks. The Gophers also had a season-best 10 aces. The Buckeyes had 80 digs, 64 kills and four blocks as a team.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
With the five-set win over Ohio State, Minnesota clinched the 2018 Big Ten championship, Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio. It marked the third conference championship for the Gophers in program history and the second since 2015. Minnesota clinched the title outright on the last game of the season in 2015, while the Gophers still have two matches remaining in the 2018 regular season schedule (Penn State and Rutgers this weekend).
With the win, the Gophers also punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament. With no conference tournament in volleyball, the Big Ten regular season champion solidifies the league's automatic bid.
NCAA SELECTION SHOW SET FOR NOV. 25
The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship bracket will be announced the Sunday before the first round of competition at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
ABOUT PENN STATE
No. 7 Penn State is 22-6 overall and 13-5 in the Big Ten after sweeping Michigan State and Northwestern last week. The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in blocks per set (2.89) and are second in opponents hitting percentage, holding them to .159. Penn State's .264 hitting percentage is fourth in the conference and they are fourth in kills per set (13.80). Jonni Parker, named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, has a team-high 271 kills (2.88 per set). Libero Kendall White is third in the Big Ten, averaging 4.74 digs per set while Bryanna Weiskircher rounds out the top five in the Big Ten for assists per set, averaging 10.72. Kaitlyn Hord is fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.387). Serena Gray's 108 blocks this season leads the Nittany Lions and ranks her fourth in blocks per set in the conference (1.27).
ABOUT RUTGERS
After falling in three to Illinois and five to Michigan State, Rutgers is 6-25 overall and 0-18 in conference play. The Scarlet Knights play No. 8 Wisconsin on Friday before facing the Gophers Saturday. As a team, they average 11.56 kills per set and 12.12 digs per set. Their 2.70 blocks per set is third among all teams in the Big Ten. Sahbria McLetchie has a team-high 290 kills and averages 2.99 per set. Beka Kojadinovic averages 2.02 kills per set. Jasmine Stackhouse averages 1.14 per set, while Inna Balyko averages 9.38 assists per set. Karysa Swackenberg averages 3.13 digs per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Penn State holds a 47-11 all-time record against the Gophers. Minnesota and Penn State started the Big Ten season against each other when the Gophers defeated the Nittany Lions, 3-0, on Sept. 19. Minnesota, however, will be looking for its first win in Happy Valley since 2004.
The Gophers are 6-2 all-time against Rutgers, dating back to their first meeting in 1983. Since Rutgers has joined the Big Ten (2014), the Gophers are 6-0. Saturday's meeting marks the first and only time these two teams meet this season.
GOPHERS RANKED THIRD IN AVCA
Minnesota remains at No. 3 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). In all, seven Big Ten Conference teams are ranked in the top 25: Minnesota (3), Illinois (4), Nebraska (6), Penn State (7), Wisconsin (8), Purdue (12) and Michigan (18). Two non-conference opponents are also ranked in No. 2 Stanford and No. 17 Oregon.
NCAA RPI
Minnesota is ranked No. 2 in the NCAA's RPI, which is updated each Monday throughout the remainder of the season. Stanford holds the No. 1 spot, followed by Minnesota, Texas, Illinois and BYI. In all, six Big Ten teams are within the top 16 RPI.
GOPHER STATS IN BIG TEN
Since the start of the Big Ten season, Minnesota has held its conference opponents to hitting below .200 in 12 of 18 matches. In fact, the Gophers have held their opponents to below a .200 hitting clip in 18 of 26 matches this season.
WELCOME TO MINNESOTA
University of Minnesota volleyball has announced three additions to the 2019 roster. The Golden Gophers welcome Ellie Husemann (Eagan, Minn.), Rachel Kilkelly (Shakopee, Minn.) and Shea Rubright (Yakima, Wash.) to the program. Rubright is scheduled to join the program this January, while Husemann and Kilkelly will begin their collegiate careers in the fall of 2019. Husemann, a 6-foot, 3-inch middle blocker, plays for Eagan High School and Northern Lights Club Volleyball. Kilkelly, a 5-foot, 9-inch defensive specialist, plays for Shakopee High School and Northern Lights Club Volleyball. Rubright, a 6-foot, 5-inch middle blocker, plays for West Valley High School and Central Region United club team.
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Sweep Illini
Thursday, October 30
Highlights: Gophers 3, Illinois 0
Wednesday, October 29
Highlights: Gophers 2, Purdue 3
Sunday, October 26
Highlights: Gophers 3, Indiana 1
Friday, October 24