University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
24-5
Fairfield
24-6
Minnesota Sweeps Fairfield in NCAA First Round
12/6/2019 8:49:00 PM | Volleyball
The University of Minnesota volleyball team kicked off its postseason with a commanding sweep over Fairfield on Friday at Maturi Pavilion. The Gophers finished the evening with set wins of 25-13, 25-14 and 25-11 over the Stags.
It was the first-ever meeting between Minnesota and Fairfield, and the home team advances to face Creighton on Saturday. The Gophers are 5-0 all-time against the Bluejays.
Adanna Rollins led Minnesota with 14 kills on the night and also added four blocks. Alexis Hart and Taylor Morgan were not far behind with nine and eight kills each, and the trio all hit over .500 in the match. The Gophers blocked the Stags 10-0, with Morgan putting up a team-high five. Kylie Miller posted a double-double performance with 39 sets and 11 digs. Minnesota registered three aces in the match: Two from CC McGraw and one from Regan Pittman.
Minnesota had 40 total kills and hit .434 on the match, with only four errors. The Golden Gophers held the Stags to just 22 kills as they hit -.038 in the match.
Notable
- With the win, the Gophers moved to 23-1 all-time in NCAA first round appearances.
- Head coach Hugh McCutcheon remains undefeated in the First Round during his tenure at Minnesota with a record of 7-0.
Up Next
Minnesota will play Creighton in the Second Round of NCAA play on Saturday at 8 p.m. CST. The match will be broadcast live on BTN.
How They Won The Set:
First Set: The teams exchanged points before Minnesota broke out to an 11-7 lead to send Fairfield to a timeout. The Stags put up six more points, but the Gophers controlled the pace to win 25-13. Minnesota hit .478 in the opening set and had three blocks.
Second Set: The second set started tight with four ties and four lead changes before either team hit double digits. Minnesota then scored eight unanswered points to grab a 15-10 lead. The Gophers did not slow down from there and took the second set 25-14. Hart and Rollins led Minnesota with four kills apiece, while McGraw and Pittman each had aces.
Third Set: The Gophers wasted no time and jumped out to an early 11-4 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Rollins gave Minnesota a double-digit 20-10 lead that it would carry to the 25-11 win and sweep. The Gophers outhit the Stags .441 to .000.
