University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 14
Minneapolis, MN
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
18-8,8-7Big Ten
3
vs
0
Penn State
14-11,8-7Big Ten
1
2
3
F
Penn St.
23
23
22
0
Minnesota
25
25
25
3
Team Stats
PSU
MINN
Kills
41
40
Errors
17
17
Attempts
115
95
Hitting %
.209
.242
Points
52.5
50.0
Assists
41
34
Aces
3
4
Blocks
8.5
6
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Players Mentioned
Libero/DS
/ VolleyballOpposite
/ VolleyballOutside
/ VolleyballMiddle Blocker
/ Volleyball
No. 20 'U' Puts Down No. 24 PSU
11/14/2025 9:21:00 PM | Volleyball
The Gophers swept Penn State for the first time since 2018
MINNEAPOLIS --Â The No. 20Â Minnesota volleyball team swept the No. 24 Penn State Nittany Lions on Friday evening at Maturi Pavilion. The set scores were 25-23, 25-23, 25-22. The win was Minnesota's first over Penn State since 2021, breaking a three-match losing streak in the series. Penn State was last year's national champion.
"We know we have five matches left that are really important for us going into the tournament," said Julia Hanson. "Personally, I've never beaten Penn State and I had a chip on my shoulder trying to beat them. I'm glad we got it done."
Julia Hanson paced the Gophers with 14 kills while Carly Gilk went for eight kills and 10 digs. Jordan Taylor had a team-best six blocks while McKenna Garr posted 17 digs.
The Gophers (18-8, 8-7 Big Ten) outhit the Nittany Lions (14-11, 8-7 B1G)Â .242 to .209 but trailed in kills, 41 to 40. Minnesota had more digs (46 to 35) and aces (4 to 3) but PSU had more blocks (8 to 6).
For Penn State, Kennedy Martin had 26 kills while Addie Lyon paced the offense with 34 assists.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The two teams split the first 12 points before PSU tallied a block and a kill to go up 8-6. Minnesota would tie it up at 9-9 after kills from Hanson, Kinney and Myers. Three straight from the Nittany Lions put the visitors up 12-9. Penn State would take a 15-11 lead into the media break. Kills from Taylor and Hanson made it 15-13 before two PSU points put them back up four, 17-13, leading to a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers would cut the lead to two after a Hanson kill and a PSU error to make it 20-18, leading to a Nittany Lions timeout. The Gophers would keep up the momentum, getting a pair of kills from Gilk, a block from Hanson and an ace from Kinney to go up, 23-22. PSU called its last timeout of the frame at this point. PSU tied it up at 23 before a service and a hitting error gave Minnesota the 25-23 set one win. Both teams had 15 kills, led by Hanson with six and Martin with seven for PSU. The Gophers hit .379 compared to .333 for the visitors.
SET 2 | PSU took an early 5-3 lead before Minnesota responded with a 7-2 run to go up 10-7. Gilk and Swenson each had a pair of kills while Hanson added one as well. The Gophers would go up 11-8 after a kill from Myers on the slide, but the Nittany Lions tallied seven of the next eight after that to go up 15-12 heading into the media timeout. Minnesota answered with four straight after the timeout, going up 16-15 after Kinney's second ace of the match. The Nittany Lions would grab the lead back at 18-17 after a kill and a Gophers attacking error. Three straight attacking errors from the visitors made it 20-18, Minnesota, leading to a timeout from Penn State. After a kill from PSU, the Gophers called their first timeout of the set. The home team answered with three straight, getting kills from Hanson and Kinney to go up 23-19. PSU called its last timeout of the set after that. PSU tallied three of the next four after that, cutting the lead to 24-22 before Minnesota called timeout. Penn State would get within one at 24-23 before a block from Swenson and Taylor ended set two with a 25-23 Minnesota victory.
SET 3 | The Gophers took an early 5-3 lead in set three before Penn State responded with five of the next six to go up 8-6. The Gophers bounced back with three straight to go up 9-8, getting a kill and an ace from Hanson and a kill from Kinney. A block from Taylor and Kinney put Minnesota up 11-9 before PSU scored two of three to make it 12-11. A solo block from Taylor and a kill from Hanson helped Minnesota take a 15-11 lead into the media break. Penn State would fight back, tallying seven of the next 10 to tie it up at 18-all. A kill and a block for PSU made it 20-18, forcing another Minnesota timeout. Kills from Hanson and Gilk tied it up at 20, leading to Penn State's first timeout of the set. PSU went up 22-20 after a kill and an attack error before Minnesota made its move, ending the match on a 5-0 run to win, 25-22. Taylor and Kinney had two kills each and Swenson posted an ace.
Game Notes
» Minnesota is now 16-52 against Penn State, breaking a three-match losing streak. It was Minnesota's first win at the Pav over Penn State since the spring 2021 season.
» All-time, it was the sixth time the Gophers have swept the Nittany Lions and first since 2018.
» Minnesota is now 2-5 against ranked teams this year and 16-3 against unranked teams.
» Julia Hanson went for 14 kills, her 21st match of the season with 10+.
» McKenna Garr had 17 kills, her 16th match of the year with 10+.
» Carly Gilk tallied 10 digs, her seventh time this year with 10+.
» Jordan Taylor posted six blocks, her ninth time this year with five-or-more.
Up Next
Minnesota travels to Iowa (13-13, 4-10 B1G) for a match on Sunday, Nov. 16. The match is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+.Â
"We know we have five matches left that are really important for us going into the tournament," said Julia Hanson. "Personally, I've never beaten Penn State and I had a chip on my shoulder trying to beat them. I'm glad we got it done."
Julia Hanson paced the Gophers with 14 kills while Carly Gilk went for eight kills and 10 digs. Jordan Taylor had a team-best six blocks while McKenna Garr posted 17 digs.
The Gophers (18-8, 8-7 Big Ten) outhit the Nittany Lions (14-11, 8-7 B1G)Â .242 to .209 but trailed in kills, 41 to 40. Minnesota had more digs (46 to 35) and aces (4 to 3) but PSU had more blocks (8 to 6).
For Penn State, Kennedy Martin had 26 kills while Addie Lyon paced the offense with 34 assists.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The two teams split the first 12 points before PSU tallied a block and a kill to go up 8-6. Minnesota would tie it up at 9-9 after kills from Hanson, Kinney and Myers. Three straight from the Nittany Lions put the visitors up 12-9. Penn State would take a 15-11 lead into the media break. Kills from Taylor and Hanson made it 15-13 before two PSU points put them back up four, 17-13, leading to a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers would cut the lead to two after a Hanson kill and a PSU error to make it 20-18, leading to a Nittany Lions timeout. The Gophers would keep up the momentum, getting a pair of kills from Gilk, a block from Hanson and an ace from Kinney to go up, 23-22. PSU called its last timeout of the frame at this point. PSU tied it up at 23 before a service and a hitting error gave Minnesota the 25-23 set one win. Both teams had 15 kills, led by Hanson with six and Martin with seven for PSU. The Gophers hit .379 compared to .333 for the visitors.
SET 2 | PSU took an early 5-3 lead before Minnesota responded with a 7-2 run to go up 10-7. Gilk and Swenson each had a pair of kills while Hanson added one as well. The Gophers would go up 11-8 after a kill from Myers on the slide, but the Nittany Lions tallied seven of the next eight after that to go up 15-12 heading into the media timeout. Minnesota answered with four straight after the timeout, going up 16-15 after Kinney's second ace of the match. The Nittany Lions would grab the lead back at 18-17 after a kill and a Gophers attacking error. Three straight attacking errors from the visitors made it 20-18, Minnesota, leading to a timeout from Penn State. After a kill from PSU, the Gophers called their first timeout of the set. The home team answered with three straight, getting kills from Hanson and Kinney to go up 23-19. PSU called its last timeout of the set after that. PSU tallied three of the next four after that, cutting the lead to 24-22 before Minnesota called timeout. Penn State would get within one at 24-23 before a block from Swenson and Taylor ended set two with a 25-23 Minnesota victory.
SET 3 | The Gophers took an early 5-3 lead in set three before Penn State responded with five of the next six to go up 8-6. The Gophers bounced back with three straight to go up 9-8, getting a kill and an ace from Hanson and a kill from Kinney. A block from Taylor and Kinney put Minnesota up 11-9 before PSU scored two of three to make it 12-11. A solo block from Taylor and a kill from Hanson helped Minnesota take a 15-11 lead into the media break. Penn State would fight back, tallying seven of the next 10 to tie it up at 18-all. A kill and a block for PSU made it 20-18, forcing another Minnesota timeout. Kills from Hanson and Gilk tied it up at 20, leading to Penn State's first timeout of the set. PSU went up 22-20 after a kill and an attack error before Minnesota made its move, ending the match on a 5-0 run to win, 25-22. Taylor and Kinney had two kills each and Swenson posted an ace.
Game Notes
» Minnesota is now 16-52 against Penn State, breaking a three-match losing streak. It was Minnesota's first win at the Pav over Penn State since the spring 2021 season.
» All-time, it was the sixth time the Gophers have swept the Nittany Lions and first since 2018.
» Minnesota is now 2-5 against ranked teams this year and 16-3 against unranked teams.
» Julia Hanson went for 14 kills, her 21st match of the season with 10+.
» McKenna Garr had 17 kills, her 16th match of the year with 10+.
» Carly Gilk tallied 10 digs, her seventh time this year with 10+.
» Jordan Taylor posted six blocks, her ninth time this year with five-or-more.
Up Next
Minnesota travels to Iowa (13-13, 4-10 B1G) for a match on Sunday, Nov. 16. The match is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+.Â
Highlights: Gophers 3, Maryland 0
Friday, November 21
Highlights: Gophers 3, Iowa 0
Sunday, November 16
Highlights: Gophers 3, Penn State 0
Friday, November 14
Highlights: Gophers 0, Nebraska 3
Saturday, November 08