University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, December 3
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
20-8,14-5Big Ten
3
vs
0
South Dakota
20-10,15-3Summit League
1
2
3
F
South Dakota
19
22
17
0
Minnesota
25
25
25
3
Gophers Sweep South Dakota to Open NCAA Tournament
12/3/2021 9:30:00 PM | Volleyball
Minnesota will take on Stanford tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 12 Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the South Dakota Coyotes in three sets, 25-19, 25-22, 25-17 on Friday night at Maturi Pavilion to open the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Gophers (21-8, 15-5 Big Ten) were led by redshirt senior opposite Stephanie Samedy, who had 13 kills, eight digs and six blocks. Melani Shaffmaster totaled 28 assists with six digs while Jenna Wenaas tallied 10 kills and six digs. Ellie Husemann led the defense with eight blocks.
With the win, Minnesota moves to 9-0 in first round NCAA Tournament matches under Hugh McCutcheon.
As a team, Minnesota hit .244 with 36 kills, 10 aces, 36 digs and 10 blocks. South Dakota (20-10, 15-3 Summit League) hit .088 with 35 kills, one ace, 38 digs and four blocks.
Set Breakdown:
Set 1: Minnesota came roaring out of the gates, scoring eight of the first nine points to take an 8-1 lead. Kills from Miyabe and Samedy and two aces from Myers got the home team going. South Dakota would respond, scoring seven of the next eight points to get back within one at 9-8. A block by Husemann and Wenaas and a kill from Samedy helped get the lead back to three at 12-9. The two teams were back and forth for most of the middle of the set. However, a 5-0 Gophers run brought their 17-16 lead to 22-16. Two kills from Wenaas and a dual block from Husemann and Samedy aided the spurt. Wenaas would close out the set with two more kills to give her a team-high six on the set as Minnesota won, 25-19. Minnesota hit .286 with 14 kills and five blocks in the first set while USD hit .304 with 14 kills.
Set 2: The two teams split the first six points of the set before a 5-0 Gophers run gave the home team an 8-3 lead in set two. USD would again respond in the middle of the set, scoring nine of the next 12 points to cut Minnesota's lead to 12-11. Two kills from Samedy ended the run and started a 3-1 push from the home team to get the lead up to 15-12 at the media timeout. A 5-2 run from the Coyotes tied the match at 17 and led to a timeout from coach McCutcheon. A 6-2 spurt from the home team provided some separation late in the set as a pair of kills from Miyabe jolted the run. USD would cut the lead to just two at 24-22 before a kill from Melani Shaffmaster ended the set, 25-22. Samedy led the 'U' with four kills while Miyabe and Wenaas had three each. Minnesota hit .200 in the set and held the Coyotes to .031.
Set 3: Minnesota and South Dakota split the first eight points before a 6-1 Minnesota run led by two kills and an ace from Samedy put the home team up 10-5. After a USD timeout, three straight points from the visitors cut the lead to 10-8 before a 4-0 Gophers run broke the set open. Kills from Miyabe and Samedy and two straight aces from Wenaas aided the run. USD would cut the lead to four at 15-11 before a 6-0 Gophers run broke it open as they took a 21-11 lead. A string of three aces from Shaffmaster and a kill from Miyabe ended the streak. USD would get as close as seven at 24-17 before an ace from Samedy ended the match at 25-17. Minnesota hit .286 for the third set with 11 kills and 11 digs. Samedy had six kills in the final set.
Notable:
-Under head coach Hugh McCutcheon, Minnesota is now 23-8 in the NCAA Tournament, including a 9-0 record in first round matches.
-Stephanie Samedy had 13 kills, eight digs and six blocks. Samedy is at 1,982 career kills and needs 18 more to become the fourth Gopher ever to reach 2,000.
-Melani Shaffmaster totaled a match-high 28 assists with six digs.
-Ellie Husemann led the Gophers defense with eight blocks, which was one off her season-high.
-Rachel Kilkelly started at libero for Minnesota and posted eight digs.
-CC McGraw (medical reasons) did not play.
Up Next:
Minnesota will play Stanford in the second round on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
The Golden Gophers (21-8, 15-5 Big Ten) were led by redshirt senior opposite Stephanie Samedy, who had 13 kills, eight digs and six blocks. Melani Shaffmaster totaled 28 assists with six digs while Jenna Wenaas tallied 10 kills and six digs. Ellie Husemann led the defense with eight blocks.
With the win, Minnesota moves to 9-0 in first round NCAA Tournament matches under Hugh McCutcheon.
As a team, Minnesota hit .244 with 36 kills, 10 aces, 36 digs and 10 blocks. South Dakota (20-10, 15-3 Summit League) hit .088 with 35 kills, one ace, 38 digs and four blocks.
Set Breakdown:
Set 1: Minnesota came roaring out of the gates, scoring eight of the first nine points to take an 8-1 lead. Kills from Miyabe and Samedy and two aces from Myers got the home team going. South Dakota would respond, scoring seven of the next eight points to get back within one at 9-8. A block by Husemann and Wenaas and a kill from Samedy helped get the lead back to three at 12-9. The two teams were back and forth for most of the middle of the set. However, a 5-0 Gophers run brought their 17-16 lead to 22-16. Two kills from Wenaas and a dual block from Husemann and Samedy aided the spurt. Wenaas would close out the set with two more kills to give her a team-high six on the set as Minnesota won, 25-19. Minnesota hit .286 with 14 kills and five blocks in the first set while USD hit .304 with 14 kills.
Set 2: The two teams split the first six points of the set before a 5-0 Gophers run gave the home team an 8-3 lead in set two. USD would again respond in the middle of the set, scoring nine of the next 12 points to cut Minnesota's lead to 12-11. Two kills from Samedy ended the run and started a 3-1 push from the home team to get the lead up to 15-12 at the media timeout. A 5-2 run from the Coyotes tied the match at 17 and led to a timeout from coach McCutcheon. A 6-2 spurt from the home team provided some separation late in the set as a pair of kills from Miyabe jolted the run. USD would cut the lead to just two at 24-22 before a kill from Melani Shaffmaster ended the set, 25-22. Samedy led the 'U' with four kills while Miyabe and Wenaas had three each. Minnesota hit .200 in the set and held the Coyotes to .031.
Set 3: Minnesota and South Dakota split the first eight points before a 6-1 Minnesota run led by two kills and an ace from Samedy put the home team up 10-5. After a USD timeout, three straight points from the visitors cut the lead to 10-8 before a 4-0 Gophers run broke the set open. Kills from Miyabe and Samedy and two straight aces from Wenaas aided the run. USD would cut the lead to four at 15-11 before a 6-0 Gophers run broke it open as they took a 21-11 lead. A string of three aces from Shaffmaster and a kill from Miyabe ended the streak. USD would get as close as seven at 24-17 before an ace from Samedy ended the match at 25-17. Minnesota hit .286 for the third set with 11 kills and 11 digs. Samedy had six kills in the final set.
Notable:
-Under head coach Hugh McCutcheon, Minnesota is now 23-8 in the NCAA Tournament, including a 9-0 record in first round matches.
-Stephanie Samedy had 13 kills, eight digs and six blocks. Samedy is at 1,982 career kills and needs 18 more to become the fourth Gopher ever to reach 2,000.
-Melani Shaffmaster totaled a match-high 28 assists with six digs.
-Ellie Husemann led the Gophers defense with eight blocks, which was one off her season-high.
-Rachel Kilkelly started at libero for Minnesota and posted eight digs.
-CC McGraw (medical reasons) did not play.
Up Next:
Minnesota will play Stanford in the second round on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
Team Stats
SD
MINN
Kills
35
36
Errors
26
14
Attempts
102
90
Hitting %
.088
.244
Points
40
56
Assists
28
34
Aces
1
10
Blocks
4
10
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
13
Aces
2
Blocks
6
Kills
10
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
2
Aces
3
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ VolleyballOutside
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