Our Gophers lost at Rutgers last year (if I remember correctly, Shaffmaster was injured?), but they weren’t fooling around tonight, Gophs sweep, 25-13, 25-22, 25-17. Rutgers has yet to win a conference match. But it’s a tough league, they’re not terrible, and they played the Gophs even for long stretches.
Set 1: Gophers 5-5, 10-6, 16-9, & 25-13. Then Grote hitting and serving, and Shaffmaster doing everything right, to take over the set.
Set 2: After 4-4, 7-7, & 10-10, the Scarlet Knights committed 3 consecutive service errors, allowing the Gophs a little separation at 18-12. But the Scarlet Knights, playing their best V-ball of the match, came back to pull within 21-20. At 23-22, the Gophs got a side-out and Wooker, on her only serve of the evening (Acevedo has been serving for Wooker, but we may have been out of substitutions), got set-point.
Set 3: Surprisingly confident following a tight set-2, the Gophers played a lot of their bench, McGhie, Ng, Crowl and Schnickels in a 6-2, and Engeman in for Minatee. (Resting the starters for Penn State?) But it didn’t hurt us, 4-0, 10-3, 16-5, & 25-17.
Big Match Sunday at Penn State. (Again BTN+? I don’t get it.)