Out & About: Penn State/Minnesota

#3 posting 10.28.2006
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

PENN STATE 3, MINNESOTA 2
21-30, 30-12, 26-30, 30-24, 15-13

Minnesota lost a tough five game match to #2 Penn State tonight. The key game was game four when MN had a 21-16 lead, but failed to get one FBSO the next three Penn State servers, and allowed runs of four and six to take the momentum and first place away from the Gophers.

Here are the game reports from the respective schools Minnesota; Penn State. plus the box.

Game one started off fine for MN. Peniata served up seven in a row to make it a commanding 8-1 lead early. PSU did manage to claw back into the game on Hodges three points off her serve 15-12. After a gopher time out Hodge served deep and MN never really was threatened after that.

PSU dominated game two with 11/12 FBSO, while MN never got their game in order with only 2/11 FBSO and both of those were missed serves by PSU. The heart of MN's rotations were struggling with the side out game as Peniata, Bowman, and later on Crumpston each gave up runs of four.

The Gophers led game three 13-7, but then in Peniata's rotation Hodge served up five points, or should I say four points with one rotation error. Bowman put down a kill to end the serve after a time out flying out of the middle. MN led the rest of the way. MN had strings of five straight FBSO early and another string of 7/8 FBSO. MN did put Hartmann on the left side during this game with Roehrig on the right to put up a bigger block on the PSU left side.

Game four was the back breaker. MN led 17-13 after two aces by Crumpston. After a PSU time out MN was in the net. Crumpston's rotation was the only one that had a strong run that game. Earlier she had three points too for a total of six in the game. MN led 21-16 when the wheels started to come off. After a side out on Tan's serve Hodge served up four straight leading off with an ace, but followed by three straight MN hitting errors. By that time it was 21 all. MN took a time out at 21-20 MN, but the ball control was out of control. Another key point came on Harmotto's serve on point 24 for PSU. The rally lasted 7 back & forths, easily the longest on the night, when PSU put down the kill off a blocking error by MN. Two more hitting errors gave PSU a 27-23 lead after Harmotto's serve. PSU slammed the door on MN servers with five straight FBSO. On Crumpston's third serve rotation in the game PSU came up with a kill.

Game five was a back and forth affair. No team had a huge run, but again it was the FBSO that got the job done. PSU had nine straight FBSO 5 of which were kills. MN also had decent FBSO, but 8/10 wasn't quite as top level. Even so MN tied it with a PSU hitting error at 13 on Hartmann's serve. They got the side out on a Hodge kill.

NUMBER CRUNCHING
team, 1stso/serves--1stso%; pts scored, % earned, % allowed
Minnesota 40/70----.571; 109; 109; .716; .213
Penn State 45/69---.652; 122; .787; .284
FBSO tells the tale. Penn State had strong FBSO games in game two (.917) and five (.818). The Gophers didn't not reach those levels. Even in the two wins the gophers were only .571 in game one and .722 in game three. PSU put together the better strings in the night too.

ROTATION POINTS
MINNESOTA
Tan 15-26 .366
Peniata 26-30 .464
Bowman 16-20 .444
Crumpston 21-18 .538
Nelson 14-13 .519
Hartmann 16-15 .516

PENN STATE
Brown 16-12 .571
Hodge 31-26 .544
Harmotto 25-16 .608
Fawcett/Price 19-17 .527
Holehouse 13-14 .481

The top half of the Gopher rotation were all in the sub .500 range for the first time all year. They all had problems with the tough serves of Penn State. Peniata's rotation gave up big runs in games 2, 3 & 4. Tan had big runs against them in 1 & 4.

Next up: tomorrow morning