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Photo by: Eric Miller
Gophers Ready to Return to the Pav
8/29/2018 9:34:00 AM | Volleyball
GOPHERS RETURN TO MATURI PAVILION
The University of Minnesota returns to Maturi Pavilion confines this weekend when it hosts the annual Diet Coke Classic, Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Minnesota welcomes Arkansas, Georgia Southern and North Dakota State to Minneapolis. Two matches will be held on Friday, followed by four Saturday. The Gophers play North Dakota State on Friday, 7 p.m., Georgia Southern on Saturday, 10 a.m., and Arkansas on Saturday, 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
All matches will be shown on BTN Plus. Game Day Live pages will also be located on gophersports.com.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME
The Gophers are in the midst of playing seven non-conference matches in Minneapolis this season, the most since 2002. Following the Diet Coke Classic, Minnesota hosts the Gopher Fall Classic, Sept. 13-15 at Maturi Pavilion. Green Bay and Kansas State visit Minneapolis that weekend.
RECORD AT HOME
Minnesota begins its season on its home court, Maturi Pavilion, this weekend. The Gophers went 13-2 at the Pav last year as it dropped two matches to ranked conference opponents (Michigan State and Penn State). Prior to that, the Gophers went undefeated at the Pav for 40-straight matches, which dated back to 2014.
OPENING WEEKEND RECAP
The Gophers opened the season at Target Center, and came away with two wins over Florida State (3-0) and North Carolina (3-1). On the opening weekend, Stephanie Samedy had 34 kills, while Regan Pittman had 25 and hit .447. Defensively, Taylor Morgan added 13 blocks during the two matches, while CC McGraw had a team-best 29 digs. In all, Minnesota had 12 individuals see action last week.
COLLEGIATE DEBUTS
Minnesota had three of its freshmen make their collegiate debut last week. CC McGraw was the Gophers' starting libero and had 29 digs, three aces and seven assists. Adanna Rollins also saw significant action when she played in both matches and had 12 digs. Paulina Swider came into the North Carolina match and contributed two crucial blocks for the Gophers. Making her Minnesota debut was sophomore transfer, Claire Sheehan.
DIET COKE CLASSIC HISTORY
Minnesota has been hosting the Diet Coke Classic since 1996. During that span, the Gophers have held a 53-8 record. The last loss in the DCC came in 2010 when Minnesota fell to Northern Iowa, who was ranked No. 22 at the time.
ABOUT ARKANSAS
Arkansas opened the season with a win and a loss to Kansas last weekend. The Jayhawks won the first match in Fayetteville, Ark., 3-2, but the Razorbacks defeated Kansas, 3-1, Saturday in Lawrence, Kan. With only two seniors on the roster, this young team returns three starters from last year's squad. In the two matches this season, Hailey Dirrigl has 43 kills, while Elizabeth Pamphile follows with 25 and has a team-best 15 blocks. Rachel Rippee has 91 assists and libero Okiana Valle has 42 digs.
ABOUT GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Georgia Southern opened the season at the West Virginia Invitational and dropped three matches to host WVU (3-1), Wright State (3-2), and Connecticut (3-2). Lauren Reichard had a team-best 26 kills in the opening weekend, followed by Carly Turner with 25. Lauren Hager and Reichard leads the Eagles with 19 and 17 blocks, respectively. Delaney DeCinces has 91 assists through two matches and Joscelin Morrow has 39 digs.
ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA STATE
North Dakota State opened the 2018 campaign at the Blue & White Classic in Buffalo, N.Y. The Bison dropped matches to Seton Hall (3-1) and host Buffalo (3-1), but defeated Niagara (3-0) to go 1-2 last weekend. Four Bison had 20-plus kills in the opening weekend, including Allie Mauch with a team-best 27. She also led the team with 38 digs. Kaylee Hanger had 13 blocks last week, and Kalli Hegerle added 96 assists.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Diet Coke Classic marks just the second time in school history the Gophers play the Razorbacks. Minnesota defeated Arkansas back in 1996. It will be the first-ever meeting between the Gophers and Georgia Southern in school history. Minnesota is facing a familiar foe in North Dakota State. The Gophers are 11-1 all time against the Bison, and the last meeting between the teams came in 2015. Like this year, it also came during the Diet Coke Classic as the Gophers won, 3-0.
The University of Minnesota returns to Maturi Pavilion confines this weekend when it hosts the annual Diet Coke Classic, Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Minnesota welcomes Arkansas, Georgia Southern and North Dakota State to Minneapolis. Two matches will be held on Friday, followed by four Saturday. The Gophers play North Dakota State on Friday, 7 p.m., Georgia Southern on Saturday, 10 a.m., and Arkansas on Saturday, 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
All matches will be shown on BTN Plus. Game Day Live pages will also be located on gophersports.com.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME
The Gophers are in the midst of playing seven non-conference matches in Minneapolis this season, the most since 2002. Following the Diet Coke Classic, Minnesota hosts the Gopher Fall Classic, Sept. 13-15 at Maturi Pavilion. Green Bay and Kansas State visit Minneapolis that weekend.
RECORD AT HOME
Minnesota begins its season on its home court, Maturi Pavilion, this weekend. The Gophers went 13-2 at the Pav last year as it dropped two matches to ranked conference opponents (Michigan State and Penn State). Prior to that, the Gophers went undefeated at the Pav for 40-straight matches, which dated back to 2014.
OPENING WEEKEND RECAP
The Gophers opened the season at Target Center, and came away with two wins over Florida State (3-0) and North Carolina (3-1). On the opening weekend, Stephanie Samedy had 34 kills, while Regan Pittman had 25 and hit .447. Defensively, Taylor Morgan added 13 blocks during the two matches, while CC McGraw had a team-best 29 digs. In all, Minnesota had 12 individuals see action last week.
COLLEGIATE DEBUTS
Minnesota had three of its freshmen make their collegiate debut last week. CC McGraw was the Gophers' starting libero and had 29 digs, three aces and seven assists. Adanna Rollins also saw significant action when she played in both matches and had 12 digs. Paulina Swider came into the North Carolina match and contributed two crucial blocks for the Gophers. Making her Minnesota debut was sophomore transfer, Claire Sheehan.
DIET COKE CLASSIC HISTORY
Minnesota has been hosting the Diet Coke Classic since 1996. During that span, the Gophers have held a 53-8 record. The last loss in the DCC came in 2010 when Minnesota fell to Northern Iowa, who was ranked No. 22 at the time.
ABOUT ARKANSAS
Arkansas opened the season with a win and a loss to Kansas last weekend. The Jayhawks won the first match in Fayetteville, Ark., 3-2, but the Razorbacks defeated Kansas, 3-1, Saturday in Lawrence, Kan. With only two seniors on the roster, this young team returns three starters from last year's squad. In the two matches this season, Hailey Dirrigl has 43 kills, while Elizabeth Pamphile follows with 25 and has a team-best 15 blocks. Rachel Rippee has 91 assists and libero Okiana Valle has 42 digs.
ABOUT GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Georgia Southern opened the season at the West Virginia Invitational and dropped three matches to host WVU (3-1), Wright State (3-2), and Connecticut (3-2). Lauren Reichard had a team-best 26 kills in the opening weekend, followed by Carly Turner with 25. Lauren Hager and Reichard leads the Eagles with 19 and 17 blocks, respectively. Delaney DeCinces has 91 assists through two matches and Joscelin Morrow has 39 digs.
ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA STATE
North Dakota State opened the 2018 campaign at the Blue & White Classic in Buffalo, N.Y. The Bison dropped matches to Seton Hall (3-1) and host Buffalo (3-1), but defeated Niagara (3-0) to go 1-2 last weekend. Four Bison had 20-plus kills in the opening weekend, including Allie Mauch with a team-best 27. She also led the team with 38 digs. Kaylee Hanger had 13 blocks last week, and Kalli Hegerle added 96 assists.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Diet Coke Classic marks just the second time in school history the Gophers play the Razorbacks. Minnesota defeated Arkansas back in 1996. It will be the first-ever meeting between the Gophers and Georgia Southern in school history. Minnesota is facing a familiar foe in North Dakota State. The Gophers are 11-1 all time against the Bison, and the last meeting between the teams came in 2015. Like this year, it also came during the Diet Coke Classic as the Gophers won, 3-0.
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