The No. 15 Gophers volleyball team closed out the regular season with a 25-16, 30-32, 25-14, 25-15 victory over Ohio State on Friday at Maturi Pavilion.
Gophers turn back Ohio State, win final volleyball match of regular season
The Gophers, ranked 15th, now await a berth in the NCAA tournament when the field is announced Sunday.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 30, 2024 at 2:34AM
The next stop for the Gophers is the NCAA tournament. The field will be announced Sunday afternoon.
Julia Hanson had 21 kills, nine digs and three service aces to pace the Gophers (20-10, 13-7 Big Ten), who defeated Ohio State in five sets on Oct. 27 in Columbus, Ohio. In that match the Gophers rallied from a 2-0 deficit.
McKenna Wucherer and Lydia Grote each contributed nine kills for the Gophers, who improved to 10-3 in home matches. Zeynep Palabiyik led the Gophers with 21 digs, and Melani Shaffmaster had seven kills and 12 digs.
In the first set, the Gophers, coming off a four-set victory at Illinois on Wednesday, used a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 18-10. Hanson had eight kills in the set.
The teams were tied 5-5 in the second set before the Gophers made a 6-0 run to take an 11-5 lead. The Buckeyes responded with a 15-6 run to take a 20-17 lead. The Gophers fought back for a 25-24 lead, but the Buckeyes came back to take the set 32-30 and tie the match.
The Gophers scored the first seven points of the third set before the Buckeyes managed to get within 15-10. A 5-0 run by the Gophers made it 20-10.
After the Buckeyes pulled within 22-12, the Gophers closed the set with two kills by Wucherer and one by Phoebe Awoleye.
The Gophers opened the fourth set with a 6-0 run. Consecutive service aces by Hanson made it 10-1. The Buckeyes got within 21-14 before the Gophers closed it out.
Emily Londot made 13 kills for the Buckeyes (14-16, 7-13), who lost in five sets Wednesday at No. 7 Wisconsin.
Minnesota outshot Alaska 37-20 but was thwarted by goalie Nicholas Grabko and his 36 saves.
