For the 3rd time this season, our 8 & 0 Gophers have trailed 1-2 after 3 sets, and come back to win in 5. (Makes wife Maureen very tense.)
Led by Samedy (surprise, surprise), the Gophs dominated the 1st set, winning 25-19. With their middles crushing the ball, and the Gophs getting offense only from Samedy, Penn State dominated the 2nd set, winning 25-16.
Penn State’s middles continued to dominate in the 3rd set. With Samedy not producing, Coach McCutcheon went to his bench, replacing Rollins with Wenaas and Rubright with Meyers. But unlike his “moves” in the first match against Purdue 9 days ago, it didn’t help. Landfair (on her way to a career-high 22 kills) had a good set, but no one else did. Penn State 25 -17.
But the Gophers roared back in the 4th set. Landfair stayed hot, Rollins back in the line up got hot, and Samedy looked like Samedy. Gophers 25-15. At this point, the match stood 2-2, and none of the sets had been close. On Saturday, Samedy played strong all night, but late in the 4th set, when the set appeared in doubt and a possible 5th set necessary, it was Pittman who took over. On Sunday, with the deciding 5th set tied a 7-7, it was Landfair who took over. Gophers 15-10
I’ll have more to say about individual performances, and what we have learned about this squad, after I’ve caught my breath.