University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, November 14
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
Setter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Host Ranked Wisconsin and Michigan This Week
11/12/2019 2:15:00 PM | Volleyball
GOPHERS BACK AT HOME
After playing their last five of six matches on the road, the Golden Gophers return home for four straight starting Thursday night against Wisconsin. Match time is set for 8 p.m. against the Badgers. Minnesota follows with a Saturday match against the Michigan Wolverines at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
The Minnesota/Wisconsin match Thursday will be featured at 8 p.m., on Big Ten Network. Saturday's match against Michigan will be streamed on BTN +. The matches will also have game day central pages available on gophersports.com.
ABOUT WISCONSIN
Wisconsin enters the Minnesota match with a 17-5 overall record and tied for first with Minnesota at 13-1 in Big Ten competition. The Badgers' only conference loss was to Ohio State in four sets last weekend. The Badgers have three players with over 240 kills, led by Dana Rettke with 266. Rettke also has a team-best 89 blocks. Sydney Hilley has 893 assists for the Badgers, and Tiffany Clark has 289 digs. Izzy Ashburn adds 37 aces. As a team, Wisconsin is hitting .293 and averages 14.26 kills per set.
ABOUT MICHIGAN
Michigan enters the weekend with a 17-7 overall record. The Wolverines are 10-4 in conference play, only losing to ranked teams. Big Ten Player of the Week Paige Jones leads Michigan with 341 kills, averaging 3.83 kills per set. She also has a team-best 34 aces. Mackenzi Welsh adds 975 assists, and Natalie Smith has 295 digs. May Pertofsky offers up 69 blocks. As a team, Michigan is hitting .271 and averages 13.82 kills per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Minnesota is 52-31 all-time against Wisconsin, dating back to 1975. Earlier this year, the Badgers earned their first win over the Gophers in nine tries, sweeping Minnesota on Oct. 13 in Madison, Wis.
The Gophers are 57-15 all-time against Michigan, dating back to 1975. Minnesota came from behind to defeat the Wolverines earlier this year, 3-2, in Ann Arbor, Mich.
ON THE DOCKET
Minnesota closes out its home regular season next weekend when it hosts Nebraska and Iowa, Nov. 22-23. The Friday match against Nebraska will be televised on BTN at 8 p.m. The Saturday match against the Hawkeyes will be senior night and set for a 7 p.m. start.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Minnesota earned a 3-0 win (25-23, 25-20, 26-24) over Ohio State, Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. Minnesota had three Gophers in double-digit kills. Adanna Rollins added a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs. She also posted three blocks and two assists. Airi Miyabe had 11 kills and hit .450. Alexis Hart posted 10 kills, did not commit an error in 23 attempts, and hit .435. Minnesota's defense shined in the win. Stephanie Samedy and Regan Pittman each had six blocks, while Taylor Morgan added five. Bayley McMenimen had 13 digs as well as 20 assists. Tamara Dolonga added 12 assists. As a team, Minnesota had 12 blocks to OSU's five. The Gophers also hit .271 to OSU's .135.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the last six matches, senior outside hitter Alexis Hart has been on fire. In that span, Hart has had 84 kills, averaged 3.50 kills per set and has hit .355.
EARLIER THIS YEAR
For the first time since 2014, Minnesota fell to Wisconsin, Oct. 13 when the Badgers swept Minnesota. Alexis Hart led the Gophers with 10 kills, while Regan Pittman and Adanna Rollins each had seven kills. Pittman also hit .429 with one error in 14 attempts. Bayley McMenimen had 24 assists, while CC McGraw and Rollins each added a team-best nine digs. Wisconsin held the lead in kills (47), aces (8) and digs (52). Minnesota had 31 kills, one ace, 40 digs and 11.5 blocks to Wisconsin's four.
Minnesota erased an 0-2 deficit and came back to win, 3-2 over Michigan on Oct. 25 in Ann Arbor, Mich. Minnesota lost the first two sets, 22-25, 23-25, but came back to win the last three, 25-21, 25-18, 15-13 for its eight conference win of the season. As a team, Minnesota hit .310 and limited Michigan to .226, despite the Wolverines' 76-58 kills lead. Minnesota had 16 blocks in the match, including five in both the fourth and deciding fifth set. Minnesota had four individuals with double-digit kills. Alexis Hart paved the way for the Gophers. She had a season-best 20 kills and 45 attempts to hit .378.
RPI LISTED BY NCAA
The Gophers are ranked seventh in the latest RPI, announced by the NCAA. Baylor, Texas, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin currently round out the top four.
GOPHERS RANKED FIFTH IN AVCA POLL
Minnesota is ranked No. 5 in this week's poll, announced Monday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. In all, seven Big Ten Conference teams are ranked in the top 25. Minnesota holds the league's top ranking, followed by Nebraska (6), Wisconsin (7), Penn State (8), Purdue (16), Michigan (23) and Illinois (25).
After playing their last five of six matches on the road, the Golden Gophers return home for four straight starting Thursday night against Wisconsin. Match time is set for 8 p.m. against the Badgers. Minnesota follows with a Saturday match against the Michigan Wolverines at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
The Minnesota/Wisconsin match Thursday will be featured at 8 p.m., on Big Ten Network. Saturday's match against Michigan will be streamed on BTN +. The matches will also have game day central pages available on gophersports.com.
ABOUT WISCONSIN
Wisconsin enters the Minnesota match with a 17-5 overall record and tied for first with Minnesota at 13-1 in Big Ten competition. The Badgers' only conference loss was to Ohio State in four sets last weekend. The Badgers have three players with over 240 kills, led by Dana Rettke with 266. Rettke also has a team-best 89 blocks. Sydney Hilley has 893 assists for the Badgers, and Tiffany Clark has 289 digs. Izzy Ashburn adds 37 aces. As a team, Wisconsin is hitting .293 and averages 14.26 kills per set.
ABOUT MICHIGAN
Michigan enters the weekend with a 17-7 overall record. The Wolverines are 10-4 in conference play, only losing to ranked teams. Big Ten Player of the Week Paige Jones leads Michigan with 341 kills, averaging 3.83 kills per set. She also has a team-best 34 aces. Mackenzi Welsh adds 975 assists, and Natalie Smith has 295 digs. May Pertofsky offers up 69 blocks. As a team, Michigan is hitting .271 and averages 13.82 kills per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Minnesota is 52-31 all-time against Wisconsin, dating back to 1975. Earlier this year, the Badgers earned their first win over the Gophers in nine tries, sweeping Minnesota on Oct. 13 in Madison, Wis.
The Gophers are 57-15 all-time against Michigan, dating back to 1975. Minnesota came from behind to defeat the Wolverines earlier this year, 3-2, in Ann Arbor, Mich.
ON THE DOCKET
Minnesota closes out its home regular season next weekend when it hosts Nebraska and Iowa, Nov. 22-23. The Friday match against Nebraska will be televised on BTN at 8 p.m. The Saturday match against the Hawkeyes will be senior night and set for a 7 p.m. start.
LAST MATCH RECAP
Minnesota earned a 3-0 win (25-23, 25-20, 26-24) over Ohio State, Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. Minnesota had three Gophers in double-digit kills. Adanna Rollins added a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs. She also posted three blocks and two assists. Airi Miyabe had 11 kills and hit .450. Alexis Hart posted 10 kills, did not commit an error in 23 attempts, and hit .435. Minnesota's defense shined in the win. Stephanie Samedy and Regan Pittman each had six blocks, while Taylor Morgan added five. Bayley McMenimen had 13 digs as well as 20 assists. Tamara Dolonga added 12 assists. As a team, Minnesota had 12 blocks to OSU's five. The Gophers also hit .271 to OSU's .135.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the last six matches, senior outside hitter Alexis Hart has been on fire. In that span, Hart has had 84 kills, averaged 3.50 kills per set and has hit .355.
EARLIER THIS YEAR
For the first time since 2014, Minnesota fell to Wisconsin, Oct. 13 when the Badgers swept Minnesota. Alexis Hart led the Gophers with 10 kills, while Regan Pittman and Adanna Rollins each had seven kills. Pittman also hit .429 with one error in 14 attempts. Bayley McMenimen had 24 assists, while CC McGraw and Rollins each added a team-best nine digs. Wisconsin held the lead in kills (47), aces (8) and digs (52). Minnesota had 31 kills, one ace, 40 digs and 11.5 blocks to Wisconsin's four.
Minnesota erased an 0-2 deficit and came back to win, 3-2 over Michigan on Oct. 25 in Ann Arbor, Mich. Minnesota lost the first two sets, 22-25, 23-25, but came back to win the last three, 25-21, 25-18, 15-13 for its eight conference win of the season. As a team, Minnesota hit .310 and limited Michigan to .226, despite the Wolverines' 76-58 kills lead. Minnesota had 16 blocks in the match, including five in both the fourth and deciding fifth set. Minnesota had four individuals with double-digit kills. Alexis Hart paved the way for the Gophers. She had a season-best 20 kills and 45 attempts to hit .378.
RPI LISTED BY NCAA
The Gophers are ranked seventh in the latest RPI, announced by the NCAA. Baylor, Texas, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin currently round out the top four.
GOPHERS RANKED FIFTH IN AVCA POLL
Minnesota is ranked No. 5 in this week's poll, announced Monday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. In all, seven Big Ten Conference teams are ranked in the top 25. Minnesota holds the league's top ranking, followed by Nebraska (6), Wisconsin (7), Penn State (8), Purdue (16), Michigan (23) and Illinois (25).
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