The No. 2 ranked University of Minnesota volleyball team came back from a 2-0 deficit and trailed 23-20 in the third set to come back and defeat No. 1 Nebraska in five sets Wednesday night, 21-25, 22-25, 28-26, 25-17, 17-15. The win was in front of a sellout crowd of 5401 at the Sports Pavilion.
Minnesota improves to 24-4 overall, 16-3 in the Big Ten, and remains undefeated at home. Nebraska falls to 26-2 and 17-2, just its second loss this season. The Gopher win snapped a Husker 14-match win streak. It was also the first time Nebraska in the five matches.
As a team, the Gophers had 72 kills, 100 digs, and ten blocks. Sarah Wilhite accomplished a double-double with 19 kills and career-high 25 digs. Samantha Seliger-Swenson also added a double-double, with 59 assists and 19 digs. Hannah Tapp had 16 kills with three blocks, Alexis Hart had 13 kills, and Paige Tapp had 11 kills with four blocks. Molly Lohman added nine kills, swinging .533, had and a team-high seven blocks. Dalianliz Rosado had 20 digs, Katie Schau had 15, and Alyssa Goehner had 14.
Yes, #Gophers. Last night did happen.
— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) November 24, 2016
Watch @HannahTapp put an end to one of the many rallies. https://t.co/YJfMfGgrbR
The Gophers will finish out the Big Ten season at home against No. 3 Wisconsin on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Set Breakdown:
Set 1: Nebraska hit .265 to Minnesota's .167 to take the first set 25-21. The Cornhuskers started the set up 7-3, earning four points straight, forcing Minnesota to take its first timeout. A few kills from Wilhite helped to shrink the deficit, and a P Tapp kill forced the Huskers to take their first timeout at 13-12, with Nebraska up by one. A five-point run on P Tapp's service rotation and a kill from Hart tied up the set at 15, and H Tapp evened the score at 18 and 19. After a few back and forth rallies, Nebraska took over the lead at 23-21, causing Minnesota to take a second timeout. The Huskers would finish out the set.
Set 2: The Cornhuskers hit .178 to the Gophers' .087 to win the second set 22-25. The set stayed close at the start, until Minnesota pulled ahead for a 13-10 lead, forcing Nebraska to take its first timeout. The Gophers would push the lead to five, but the Huskers slowly decreased the spread to two at 19-17. Two points by Minnesota, one from Hart, forced Nebraska to take its second timeout down 21-17. Two points, this time by Nebraska, caused the Gophers to take their first timeout, still up 21-19. The Huskers continued their run to tie up the set at 21 and 22, and take over the lead at 23 to force a second Minnesota timeout. Nebraska continued the 8-1run to end the set.
Set 3: Minnesota hit .306 to Nebraska's .220 to win the set 28-26 and stay in the match. Minnesota opened the third set with an ace from Seliger-Swenson. Nebraska responded with a 6-2 run, forcing the Gophers to take a timeout at 6-4. The teams would trade possession, until the Huskers pulled forward for a 15-12 lead. Minnesota would grab three consecutive points, tying the set at 15 and forcing a Nebraska timeout. The Gophers increased their lead to 19-17, but the Huskers took a three-point run of their own, forcing a Minnesota timeout down 20-19. Wilhite broke the streak at 22-20, the Gophers tied it up at 23, and a block by Lohman and Hart forced a Nebraska timeout down 24-23. The set was tied at 24, 25 and 26, but a kill by Hart and a Husker error ended the set for Minnesota.
Last night's intense sets by the numbers. pic.twitter.com/AFA4y8VAcv
— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) November 24, 2016
Set 4: The Gophers hit .304 to Nebraska's .128 to take the fourth set 25-18 and tie up the match. Minnesota opened set four with a 5-0 run, forcing Nebraska to take a timeout. After a couple long rallies and another run by the Gophers, the Huskers took a second timeout down 9-2. Minnesota continued to hold a strong lead throughout the rest of the set, up by eight a few different times. Nebraska came back at the end of the set, but the Gophers would take the set.
Set 5: Minnesota hit .138 to Nebraska's .097 to take the set 17-15 and the match. The Gophers opened the fifth set on a 4-1 run, but Nebraska would rally back to tie it up at 5-5, forcing Minnesota to take a timeout. The Gophers added two points, forcing a Nebraska timeout. Minnesota held a three-point lead three different times, but Nebraska cut the lead short to one, forcing the Gophers to take a timeout up 12-11. Minnesota tallied another point, forcing a Husker timeout at 13-11. The set was tied at 13, 14 and 15, but a block by Wilhite and Lohman ended the match.
