Out & About: Minnesota/Northwestern

#6 posting 9.26.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

MINNESOTA gophers 3, NORTHWESTERN wildcats 0
(25-22, 25-23, 26-24)

The #12 Minnesota Gophers opened the Big 10 season with a tight sweep of Northwestern. The point spread was only seven points for the night.

The Gophers held the advantage throughout the first set. Both teams first ball side out defense was at top form. Minnesota had a FBSO% of .706; NW was at .688. The next two sets weren't nearly as strong. The Gophers got the early jump with a four point run with Lauren Gibbemeyer providing three of those points. NW took their first time out trailing 11-6. That seemed to focus the Wildcats. Shortly thereafter they had a 8-3 run to close to 16-14. The Gophers had two of their three service errors in that sequence. Also NW had three of their six blocks on the night in the sequence. The Gophers pushed out to 21-16 adding a point after the second NW time out. Again NW was resurgent with a 5-2 run forcing the Gophers to take a time out at 23-21. Ariel Baxterbeck served deep after the break. Two side outs later Minnesota had set one under their belts after a back row kill from Brook Dieter.

In set two Minnesota had the early advantage at 5-2, but NW surged out with a six point run to lead 10-6. The Wildcats had five kills in that sequence. The FBSO game that was strong in the first set for both teams disappeared. Minnesota dropped to .500 and NW only at .308. NW held the lead at 16-14 when Minnesota put together three points to claim their first lead since 6-4 with a Gibbemeyer kill. NW responded with three straight and reclaimed the lead and added to it to 21-18. The Gophers finished with a 7-2 run starting with a three point run to tie it at 21. Minnesota took a 23-22 lead after a kill by Pamela Luiz. Luiz added a block to put the Gophers on the verge. A Roehrig hitting error gave the ball back, but Kelly Schmidt finished the second set with a quick kill.

Set three, after an initial NW lead of 6-3 turned Minnesota's way with a 9-2 run forcing a NW time out at 12-8. NW tied it right up with four unanswered points, all on Minnesota errors. The next phase went to a side out game with six straight exchanges. Minnesota had their biggest run with six points to take what looked like a commanding 21-16 lead. Wrong. NW stormed back with a 7-1 run with Brittani Gray providing four points for the Wildcats. With NW leading 23-22 the Gophers forced a hitting error to tie it up. Roehrig knocked down a kill to put the home team on the verge, but the next point went to NW on a Roehrig hitting error. Luiz had the key side out kill and then Dieter finished the night with a kill.

rotation, player, position, aces-blocks-kills---totals////errors +/-
MINNESOTA
1. Hailey Cowles, DS, 0-0-1----1/////3 -2
1fr: Kyla Roehrig, OH 0-0/2-7----8////7 1
2. Christine Tan, L 1-0-0----1/////1 0
2fr Kelly Schmidt, MH 0-0/4-4----6////2 4
3. Jessica Granquist, DS 0-0-0----0//// 0
3fr Pamela Luiz, RH 0-2/3-9----12.5////1 11.5
4. Brook Dieter, OH 2-0/2-15----18/////7 11.0
5. Lauren Gibbemeyer, MH 2-1/5-14---19.5////6 13.5
6. Rachel Hartmann, S 0-0/2-2----3////2 1
Totals: 5-3/18-52----69 points, 7 points on NW errors

NORTHWESTERN
In set one NW started with Alexandra Ayers. In set two: Chelsy Hyser; In set three: Baxterbeck/Gray.
Here is the order for set 1
1. Alexandra Ayers, OH 0-0-7----7////3 4
2. Chelsy Hyser, MH 1-1-10----12////2 10
3. Elyse Glab, S 0-0/2-1---2/////1 1
4. Brittani Gray, OH 0-0/1-7----7.5////6 1.5
4. Ariel Baxterbeck, OH/DS 0-0-0----0////1 -1
4. Kelly Keporos, OH 0-0-0----0////2 -2
5. Kate Nobilio, L 0-0-0----0////1 -1
5fr: Sabel Moffett, MH 0-2/3-10----13.5////1 12.5
6. Madlyn Shalter, S 1-0-1---2////2 0
6fr: Naomi Johnson, RH 0-0-6---6/////1 5
Totals: 2-3/6-42----50 points, 19 points on Minnesota errors

TRENCH PLAYER
Pamela Luiz

BY THE NUMBERS
team, fbso/fbso attempts; fbso %; points, % earned; % allowed
Minnesota 23/41-.561; 76; .908; .275
Northwestern 20/41-.488; 69; .725; .092
Runs 3+: Minnesota 10, NW 6
Longest string: Minnesota 6, NW 6
Missed Serves: Minnesota 3, NW 2
Time Out %: NW 4/5-.800; Minnesota 2/3--.667

ROTATIONS
MINNESOTA
1. Cowles 12-7 .632
2. Tan 14-9 .609
3. Granquist/Luz 9-15 .375
4. Dieter 16-16 .500
5. Gibbemeyer 12-12 .500
6. Hartmann 13-10 .565
totals: 76-69 .524

NORTHWESTERN
1. Ayers 10-16 .385
2. Hyser 12-14 .462
3. Glab 12-13 .480
4. Gray/Baxterbeck 10-10 .500
5. Nobillio 11-7 .611
6. Shalter 14-16 .467
Totals: 69-76 .476

RACE TO:
Set: 5 10 15 20 25
set 1 M M M M M
set 2 M N N N M
set 3 N M M M M

BIGGEST LEAD
Team: 1 2 3
Minnesota 7 3 5
Northwestern 0 4 3

Next up: tomorrow