The Minnesota Gophers volleyball team suffered a tough five-set loss to Baylor in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge. Despite a late rally, they now stand at 1-2 this season.
Bollywood Fever: The Minnesota Gophers volleyball team has developed a pattern of going the distance this season, playing their third consecutive five-set match.
On Friday night, the Gophers fought hard but ultimately fell to 23rd-ranked Baylor in a nail-biting match (25-23, 16-25, 21-25, 25-17, 14-16) at the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Waco, Texas. With this loss, Minnesota drops to 1-2 on the season.
Over the last three seasons, the Gophers have performed well in this challenge, boasting a 5-1 record. They’ll aim to bounce back in their next match against TCU on Saturday.
Ranked 18th in the nation, Minnesota came into the match riding the momentum of their thrilling win over No. 1 Texas earlier in the week.
They started strong, jumping to a quick 3-0 lead in the first set before Baylor responded with a run. Despite the Bears’ push, the Gophers managed to take the first set.
However, that momentum didn’t carry over into the second set, as Baylor dominated from start to finish. Minnesota struggled offensively, finishing the set with a .048 hitting percentage.
In the third set, the Gophers found their rhythm once again, engaging in a tight back-and-forth battle. After tying the score at 20-20, Baylor finished strong with a 5-1 run, securing the set and taking a 2-1 lead.
Minnesota rallied in the fourth set, tallying four aces and four blocks to build an early lead and cruised to a decisive win, forcing a fifth and final set.
In the deciding set, Baylor jumped ahead with a five-point lead, but Minnesota fought back with a thrilling 10-3 rally, gaining a 14-13 lead.
However, the Bears scored three consecutive points to close out the match and hand the Gophers a tough loss.
Julia Hanson led Minnesota with 16 kills and a career-high 19 digs. Lydia Grote added 15 kills, while Zeynep Palabiyik notched a career-best 29 digs.
Calissa Minatee also contributed with four blocks and a career-high 11 kills.
The Gophers will look to turn things around when they face TCU on Saturday at 4 p.m., with the match being streamed live on ESPN+.
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