After a rugged schedule featuring pairs of matches at Purdue, home vs Penn State, at Nebraska, home vs Michigan, Illinois and a single match vs Wisconsin, the Gophers get to finish their scheduled season at Northwestern and home vs Iowa, both lower-rated teams. With an almost healthy squad, missing only McGraw, the Gophs started these final 4 matches with a sweep of Northwestern.
The Gophs struggled a bit in the 2nd set (25-21) and trailed early in the 3rd set, but hit .358 for the match compared to the Wildcats .113. Kilkelly filled in ably for McGraw, and Wenaas for Kilkelly, and the rest of the line-up played well, especially Rubright, with 9 blocks in a 3-set match. Northwestern served at Landfair every chance they had, and Taylor struggled a bit with her receives, but she made up for it with 7 kills, 4 blocks and 3 aces.
REMATCH TONIGHT, AT 6:00 ON BTN+.
The other news last night was the “postponement” of the Wisconsin at PennState matches scheduled for this weekend. They say “postponement,” but with the Badgers scheduled to play Michigan next weekend, April 3 & 4, and the NCAA Tournament Field announced on April 4, I think “cancelled” is a more accurate term. Assuming that the Badgers beat Michigan in Madison, Wisconsin will finish unbeaten – without playing Nebraska, Penn State or Ohio State, and having beaten the Gophers once, on a match where neither team had their starting setter! Talk about a record with an asterisk!