University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, August 29
Minneapolis, MN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
1-1,0-0Big Ten
3
vs
1
Cal Poly
0-1,0-0Big West
1
2
3
4
F
Cal Poly
25
12
21
18
1
Minnesota
17
25
25
25
3
Team Stats
CPO
MINN
Kills
46
69
Errors
14
14
Attempts
148
157
Hitting %
.216
.350
Points
57.0
76.0
Assists
39
62
Aces
4
2
Blocks
7
5
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
21
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
Libero/DS
/ VolleyballOpposite
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Photo by: Ceci De Young
No. 11 'U' Closes Out Cal Poly After Slow Start
8/29/2025 9:05:00 PM | Volleyball
Stella Swenson paced the attack, which hit .350
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 11 Minnesota volleyball team defeated the Cal Poly Mustangs on Friday night in their home opener. The Gophers took the win, 17-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-18.
Julia Hanson led Minnesota with 21 kills while Stella Swenson went for 48 assists, 14 digs and seven kills. Kate Thibault paced the defense with a career-high 18 digs while Lourdes Myers had nine kills and four blocks.
The Gophers (1-1, 0-0 Big Ten) outhit the Mustangs (0-1, 0-0 Big West) .350 to .216, outdug them 77 to 66 and led the battle in kills 69 to 46. Cal Poly had four aces compared to two for Minnesota and outblocked the home team 7.0 to 5.0.
Kendall Beshear paced the Mustangs with 12 kills and 12 digs while Emma Bullis had 27 assists and 13 digs.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Cal Poly started out strong, taking a 10-7 lead before Minnesota called its first timeout. After the break, the Mustangs scored the next two points to go up 12-7. Cal Poly kept accelerating out of the break, going up by as many as eight at 19-11 before the Gophers called timeout No. 2. The Gophers trailed by as many as 10 at 21-11 before cutting the lead to seven at 22-15, forcing a CP timeout. The visitors would close out the set, 25-17.
SET 2 | Minnesota responded well in the second set, totaling six of the first seven points. Cal Poly would fight back, bringing the lead to just two at 9-7, before three straight Gophers kills made it 12-7, forcing a timeout. The 'U' exploded through the end of the set, led by eight kills from Hanson. Minnesota led by as many as 13 at 23-10 before closing it out, 25-12. Through two sets, Hanson led the 'U' with 11 kills.
SET 3 | The two teams battled it out through set three, with neither leading by more than a point through the first 18 tallies. Two kills from Julia Hanson and one from Kinney, Myers and Swenson eventually put the 'U' up four at 15-11 heading into the media timeout. After trailing 9-8, Minnesota went on a 6-2 run to grab the lead. Cal Poly battled back after trailing 16-12 to make it 16-14, leading to a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers would go up three at 21-18, forcing CP into a timeout. The Gophers would get kills from Kinney and Minatee to go up four, 23-19, leading to the visitors last timeout. Two straight points from the Mustangs cut the lead to 23-21, but the Gophers would finish out the set, 25-21.
SET 4 | The Gophers started out strong, taking a quick 3-0 in the fourth frame. Cal Poly fought back, tying up the match at 7-7. The two teams would go back and forth until a 3-0 Gophers run put the home team up a pair at 12-10, capped by kills from Minatee, Hanson and Gilk. CP would score four of the next five after that to go up 14-13, leading to Minnesota's first timeout of the frame. A 4-1 response by the 'U' led to a timeout from Cal Poly, trailing 17-15. Cal Poly would get no closer the rest of the way as Minnesota kept them at arm's length, winning 25-18.
Game Notes
» The 'U' is now 3-1 all-time against Cal Poly and 44-10 in home openers.
» Carly Gilk made her collegiate debut and posted 11 kills.
» Calissa Minatee recorded 10 kills, her second straight 10+ kill match to start the season.
» Stella Swenson posted her first career double-double with 48 assists, 14 digs and seven kills.
» Lourdes Myers went for nine kills and four blocks to pace the defense.
» Julia Hanson had 21 kills to lead Minnesota. She's had 10-or-more kills in 17 consecutive matches dating back to last season. It was her eighth career match with 20+ kills.
» Zeynep Palabiyik posted 18 digs for her 12th consecutive match (dating back to last season), with 10+ digs.
» Kate Thibault went for a career-high 18 digs. Her previous best was last year at Wisconsin.
» McKenna Garr posted a career-best 11 digs in her second match as a Gopher.
» Kelly Kinney posted a career-best nine kills in her second match as a Gopher.
Up Next
Minnesota (1-1, 0-0 Big Ten) hosts Ball State (1-0, 0-0 MAC) tomorrow night at 5 p.m. CT
Julia Hanson led Minnesota with 21 kills while Stella Swenson went for 48 assists, 14 digs and seven kills. Kate Thibault paced the defense with a career-high 18 digs while Lourdes Myers had nine kills and four blocks.
The Gophers (1-1, 0-0 Big Ten) outhit the Mustangs (0-1, 0-0 Big West) .350 to .216, outdug them 77 to 66 and led the battle in kills 69 to 46. Cal Poly had four aces compared to two for Minnesota and outblocked the home team 7.0 to 5.0.
Kendall Beshear paced the Mustangs with 12 kills and 12 digs while Emma Bullis had 27 assists and 13 digs.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Cal Poly started out strong, taking a 10-7 lead before Minnesota called its first timeout. After the break, the Mustangs scored the next two points to go up 12-7. Cal Poly kept accelerating out of the break, going up by as many as eight at 19-11 before the Gophers called timeout No. 2. The Gophers trailed by as many as 10 at 21-11 before cutting the lead to seven at 22-15, forcing a CP timeout. The visitors would close out the set, 25-17.
SET 2 | Minnesota responded well in the second set, totaling six of the first seven points. Cal Poly would fight back, bringing the lead to just two at 9-7, before three straight Gophers kills made it 12-7, forcing a timeout. The 'U' exploded through the end of the set, led by eight kills from Hanson. Minnesota led by as many as 13 at 23-10 before closing it out, 25-12. Through two sets, Hanson led the 'U' with 11 kills.
SET 3 | The two teams battled it out through set three, with neither leading by more than a point through the first 18 tallies. Two kills from Julia Hanson and one from Kinney, Myers and Swenson eventually put the 'U' up four at 15-11 heading into the media timeout. After trailing 9-8, Minnesota went on a 6-2 run to grab the lead. Cal Poly battled back after trailing 16-12 to make it 16-14, leading to a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers would go up three at 21-18, forcing CP into a timeout. The Gophers would get kills from Kinney and Minatee to go up four, 23-19, leading to the visitors last timeout. Two straight points from the Mustangs cut the lead to 23-21, but the Gophers would finish out the set, 25-21.
SET 4 | The Gophers started out strong, taking a quick 3-0 in the fourth frame. Cal Poly fought back, tying up the match at 7-7. The two teams would go back and forth until a 3-0 Gophers run put the home team up a pair at 12-10, capped by kills from Minatee, Hanson and Gilk. CP would score four of the next five after that to go up 14-13, leading to Minnesota's first timeout of the frame. A 4-1 response by the 'U' led to a timeout from Cal Poly, trailing 17-15. Cal Poly would get no closer the rest of the way as Minnesota kept them at arm's length, winning 25-18.
Game Notes
» The 'U' is now 3-1 all-time against Cal Poly and 44-10 in home openers.
» Carly Gilk made her collegiate debut and posted 11 kills.
» Calissa Minatee recorded 10 kills, her second straight 10+ kill match to start the season.
» Stella Swenson posted her first career double-double with 48 assists, 14 digs and seven kills.
» Lourdes Myers went for nine kills and four blocks to pace the defense.
» Julia Hanson had 21 kills to lead Minnesota. She's had 10-or-more kills in 17 consecutive matches dating back to last season. It was her eighth career match with 20+ kills.
» Zeynep Palabiyik posted 18 digs for her 12th consecutive match (dating back to last season), with 10+ digs.
» Kate Thibault went for a career-high 18 digs. Her previous best was last year at Wisconsin.
» McKenna Garr posted a career-best 11 digs in her second match as a Gopher.
» Kelly Kinney posted a career-best nine kills in her second match as a Gopher.
Up Next
Minnesota (1-1, 0-0 Big Ten) hosts Ball State (1-0, 0-0 MAC) tomorrow night at 5 p.m. CT
Cinematic Recap: Diet Coke Classic
Wednesday, September 17
Highlights: Gophers 3, SDSU 1
Sunday, September 14
Highlights: Gophers 3, Dayton 0
Saturday, September 13
Highlights: Gophers 3, South Florida 0
Friday, September 12