I couldn’t watch it because it wasn’t on ESPN+ as advertised in yesterday’s Strib (not today’s Strib). Reader G.U. notes that I got “taken to the cleaners” in paying $10 for a month’s subscription, because ESPN has a standing first-month promotion of $7. So yeah, I got taken. Though I don’t know what one can get cleaned for $3 these days.
But after dropping the first set to #16 ranked Baylor (23-25), the Gophs stormed back to sweep the next three sets, 25-16, 25-23, 25-17, dominating the net. Left-side* hitters Wenaas and Landfair had 17 kills and 15 kills, respectively; and Middles Booth and Husemann had 6 kills & 11 blocks, and 7 kills and 4 blocks respectively. The Gophs outhit the Bears .300 to .133 (the Bears had a lot of hitting errors) and out-blocked the Bears 15-4. I can’t tell from here whether the Bears started strong and then folded, or if it took our Gophs a while to get started (which was a recurring problem last year).
Carter Booth, as previously mentioned, is a true freshman; impressive start for this terrific athlete. Freshman Julia Hanson had 3 kills and 2 blocks. As expected, veteran Setter Shaffmaster and Libero McGraw played well, but not much else is available from the limited game summary I’m looking at.
* The summary does not mention highly-rated true freshman Wucherer or red-shirt freshman Crowl. I’m guessing, from the sparse info available, that Hanson earned her stats from the right-side, and that Crowl and Wurcherer didn’t play (was Wurcherer even suited up?), but I don’t know. ANYBODY?
Hats off to reader Reader R.A. I was checking my sources every few minutes for a match outcome, but R.A. emailed me the good news before I found it.
Tomorrow’s game at TCU is on ESPN+. (I hope) Wednesday night’s game at #2 ranked Texas is only available on “The Longhorn Network.” (I do know a guy who’s a Longhorn Football fan; gotta find out if he has that.) Once we get to the BIG10 Season, all the games should be on BTN or BTN+.