University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 29
College Park, MD
7:30 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Maryland
Players Mentioned
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Opposite
/ VolleyballSetter
/ Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Volleyball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers On the Road for the First Time This Season
1/27/2021 2:01:00 PM | Volleyball
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Start Time: 7:35 p.m. (Jan. 29), 5:01 p.m. (Jan. 30)
TV: BTN, Fri., Jan. 29; Talent: Matt Schumacker (Play-by-Play) and Salima Rockwell (Analyst)
Streaming: BTN+, Sat. Jan. 30
SERIES INFORMATION
14th Meeting (Minnesota leads 13-0)
Current Streak: W-13
McCutcheon vs. Maryland: 10-0
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
• Minnesota opened the 2021 season with a pair of 3-0 wins over Michigan State last weekend in Minneapolis, Minn. The Golden Gophers earned a 25-18, 26-24, 25-16 win on Saturday, Jan. 23. They followed with a 26-24, 25-22, 25-12 win over the Spartans on Jan. 24.  Adanna Rollins led the Gophers with 24 kills on the weekend (hit .400), while Stephanie Samedy had 23 kills and had six blocks.Â
• The Golden Gophers had three that made their collegiate debuts, while one made her Minnesota debut. Freshmen Taylor Landfair, Melani Shaffmaster and Jenna Wenaas all saw action in the opening weekend of play. Redshirt junior transfer Katie Myers started in both matches against the Spartans and had eight blocks and eight kills.Â
• The Big Ten Conference office announced that Melani Shaffmaster was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after her opening weekend performance against Michigan State. Shaffmaster, a 6-3 setter, had 50 assists in her opening weekend of competition. She also recorded 17 digs and three aces. In Saturday's match, Shaffmaster helped the team to a 38.4 hitting percentage as the Gophers swept the Michigan State Spartans. She also offered up 29 assists, two aces, four kills and six digs. On Sunday, the rookie added her first double double to her resume when she accomplished 21 assists and 11 digs with an ace. Shaffmaster becomes Minnesota's first freshman of the week honoree since Adanna Rollins in 2018.
• After the opening weekend of play, Minnesota held the league's best digs per set (16.33), the second-most kills per set (14.00) and assists per set (12.22) and third-best hitting clip (.281).Â
• For the second-straight time, Minnesota holds the No. 7 ranking in the 2021 spring poll. Ahead of the Gophers is Wisconsin (1), Texas (2), Stanford (3), Kentucky (4), Nebraska (5) and Baylor (6). In all, the Big Ten has six teams ranked and two receiving votes.Â
SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS
• Maryland opened the 2021 season on the road at Ohio State. The Terps dropped a pair pf close matches, 3-2, both days. Last year Maryland went 13-19 overall and 5-15 in league action.Â
• Preseason All-Big Ten Erika Pritchard leads the team with 30 kills, while Rainelle Jones leads the team with 16 blocks.Â
• As a team, the Terps average 3.0 blocks per set, 10.50 kills per set and 12.20 digs per set.Â
LAST TIME AGAINST MARYLAND
• Minnesota and Maryland faced each other just once last season when the Gophers earned a 3-0 win (25-21, 25-19, 25-21), Nov. 8, 2019 in College Park, Md.Â
•Adanna Rollins led the Gophers in both kills and digs when she had 13 kills and 12 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. Alexis Hart had 10 kills and hit .333.
ON THE DOCKET
• Minnesota is back on the road for the second-straight weekend when it travels to Purdue, Feb. 5-6. Friday's match is slated for a 6 p.m. CT start and is on Big Ten Network. Saturday's match is on BTN + at 4 p.m. CT.Â
Gopher Volleyball Podcast
Â
Start Time: 7:35 p.m. (Jan. 29), 5:01 p.m. (Jan. 30)
TV: BTN, Fri., Jan. 29; Talent: Matt Schumacker (Play-by-Play) and Salima Rockwell (Analyst)
Streaming: BTN+, Sat. Jan. 30
SERIES INFORMATION
14th Meeting (Minnesota leads 13-0)
Current Streak: W-13
McCutcheon vs. Maryland: 10-0
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
• Minnesota opened the 2021 season with a pair of 3-0 wins over Michigan State last weekend in Minneapolis, Minn. The Golden Gophers earned a 25-18, 26-24, 25-16 win on Saturday, Jan. 23. They followed with a 26-24, 25-22, 25-12 win over the Spartans on Jan. 24.  Adanna Rollins led the Gophers with 24 kills on the weekend (hit .400), while Stephanie Samedy had 23 kills and had six blocks.Â
• The Golden Gophers had three that made their collegiate debuts, while one made her Minnesota debut. Freshmen Taylor Landfair, Melani Shaffmaster and Jenna Wenaas all saw action in the opening weekend of play. Redshirt junior transfer Katie Myers started in both matches against the Spartans and had eight blocks and eight kills.Â
• The Big Ten Conference office announced that Melani Shaffmaster was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after her opening weekend performance against Michigan State. Shaffmaster, a 6-3 setter, had 50 assists in her opening weekend of competition. She also recorded 17 digs and three aces. In Saturday's match, Shaffmaster helped the team to a 38.4 hitting percentage as the Gophers swept the Michigan State Spartans. She also offered up 29 assists, two aces, four kills and six digs. On Sunday, the rookie added her first double double to her resume when she accomplished 21 assists and 11 digs with an ace. Shaffmaster becomes Minnesota's first freshman of the week honoree since Adanna Rollins in 2018.
• After the opening weekend of play, Minnesota held the league's best digs per set (16.33), the second-most kills per set (14.00) and assists per set (12.22) and third-best hitting clip (.281).Â
• For the second-straight time, Minnesota holds the No. 7 ranking in the 2021 spring poll. Ahead of the Gophers is Wisconsin (1), Texas (2), Stanford (3), Kentucky (4), Nebraska (5) and Baylor (6). In all, the Big Ten has six teams ranked and two receiving votes.Â
SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS
• Maryland opened the 2021 season on the road at Ohio State. The Terps dropped a pair pf close matches, 3-2, both days. Last year Maryland went 13-19 overall and 5-15 in league action.Â
• Preseason All-Big Ten Erika Pritchard leads the team with 30 kills, while Rainelle Jones leads the team with 16 blocks.Â
• As a team, the Terps average 3.0 blocks per set, 10.50 kills per set and 12.20 digs per set.Â
LAST TIME AGAINST MARYLAND
• Minnesota and Maryland faced each other just once last season when the Gophers earned a 3-0 win (25-21, 25-19, 25-21), Nov. 8, 2019 in College Park, Md.Â
•Adanna Rollins led the Gophers in both kills and digs when she had 13 kills and 12 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. Alexis Hart had 10 kills and hit .333.
ON THE DOCKET
• Minnesota is back on the road for the second-straight weekend when it travels to Purdue, Feb. 5-6. Friday's match is slated for a 6 p.m. CT start and is on Big Ten Network. Saturday's match is on BTN + at 4 p.m. CT.Â
Gopher Volleyball Podcast
Â
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