Set 3 made Maureen nervous, but the Gophs got it done, 25-11, 25-19, 26-24. The same Maureen that said, after Set 2, “I hope we play some of our subs in the 3rd.” We did, Julie Hanson. Hanson, who hadn’t played in months (I thought perhaps we were red-shirting her), came in for Landfair (who hadn’t had a great match) — and looked terrible. Landfair eventually came back in.
The Gophers outhit the Scarlett Knights .244 to .099, and out-blocked them 13-4. Rutgers hurt themselves with 11 service errors vs only 1 ace. Booth led the Gophs with 8 kills and 5 blocks, Wooker and Wenaas had 6 &4 and 6 & 3, respectively. Landfair had 4 & 3; she was favoring a calf late at Penn St.; I hope she’s okay.
READERS RESPOND RE LOSS AT PENN ST.
Reader P.A. Asks: “What was your take on the ending? A double challenge??? Seemed frivolous. And was there a touch on the last point giving set 4 to PSU? No challenges left to verify. Coaching is tough. Too little too late for Minnie unfortunately.”
JOHN: P.A. refers to a sequence late in Set 4, with the score tied at 25-25, when a Penn St. back-row hitter attacked a ball that, untouched by the Gophers, hit the floor near the back line – and was called out, giving the Gophs a 26-25 lead.
However, Penn St challenged the line call. I watched the replay and thought it too close to over-rule the original call, but the replay ref saw it differently and called it in, giving Penn St the 1-point lead. Then McCutcheon challenged that the back-row hitter had stepped on the 10-ft line – the rare “counter-challenge.” The replay showed that she had been close – but not on the line, keeping the lead with Penn St. And stripping McCutcheon of his last challenge.
The next point, which became match-point, ended with the Gophers hitting a ball past a pair of blockers – and clearly out, but there appeared to be a touch by one of the blockers. McCutcheon argued, but he didn’t have a challenge left!
If the replay official had agreed with me and not overturned the call on the previous play, the Gophers would have been able to challenge the touch on the final play– and if we had won that, as it seemed we should have, then the Gophs would have won Set 4 creating a Set 5 – which the Gopher, who had the momentum, might have won.
I guess P.A, is suggesting that if McCutcheon had not have spent his last challenge on the previous play, he could have won the challenge on the final play. Maybe.
NEXT UP: At Ohio State Friday, at Nebraska Saturday, seeding for the NCAAs on Sunday. More on all 3 later in the week.