Out & About: Minnesota /Northwestern

#6 posting 11.11.2006
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MINNESOTA 3, NORTHWESTERN 0
30-24, 30-11, 30-17

The Gophers steamrolled a pretty good Northwestern team as they took care of business and didn't overlook this squad. Earlier in the year MN struggled at Evanston. There was no struggle tonight.

The intersting fact in this game occurred in game two when Meredith Nelson served up 18 straight points to take the Gophers from 7-4 to 25-4. That is a new NCAA record. Northwestern tried to stop the bleeding at 9-4 and 14-4, but they needed a tourniquet.

NW had the beginnings of their Chernobyl in game one with Minnesota reeling off a 11-3 run. The Gophers trailed 21-19 before the start of the avalance. It all started on a missed serve.

In game three the Gophers were Golden once more with a 17-3 run. Domination was the word of the day.

Here are the reports from the colleges Minnesota and Northwestern.

NUMBER CRUNCHING
team, fbso/serves--fbso%; pts scored, % earned, % allowed
Minnesota 22/35---.629; 90; .756; .269
Northwestern 19/35---.543; .731; .244
The odd thing was Northwestern's fbso was always one less than the Gophers each game. Even in game two it was .667. The Nelson Tsunami swept any prayer of victory out the window in that game.

ROTATION POINTS
Tan 12-6 .667
Peniata 9-10 .474
Bowman 15-7 .682
Crumpston 19-13 .594
Nelson 30-9 .769
Hartmann 6-7 .462
With 18 in a row you might expect Nelson to be on the top end of the rotation points. She also had a strong run in game three with six more in a row.

Minnesota only gave up one run of four when the regulars in three games. When substitutions were made another run of four occured. But counting the MN runs: 8 over three games, 10 if you like your runs of three.

Now will this statement be heard in Madison? Sole possession for second place will be on the line on Wednesday.

Next up: tomorrow.