The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Minnesota
No. 11 Minnesota sweeps past No. 4 Volleyball
09.03.2011 | Volleyball
Sept. 3, 2011
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The fourth-ranked Texas Volleyball team suffered its second-straight sweep loss as it fell to No. 11 Minnesota, Friday night at the Sports Pavilion. The 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 loss dropped the Longhorns to 2-2 on the season and improved the Gophers to 3-1.
Senior All-America middle blocker Rachael Adams headlined the Texas attack with 11 kills on .556 hitting and five blocks. Freshman outside hitter Haley Eckerman posted a team-best 12 kills in the loss, while senior libero Sydney Yogi steadied the defense with 10 digs. Minnesota's Ashley Wittman led all players with 16 kills on .484 hitting and Ariana Filho shined as well with 11 kills and a .733 attack mark.
In the first set, Minnesota claimed the lead in the early going and maintained the edge throughout, using a 6-1 run down the stretch to end the frame, 25-19. Texas grabbed the lead in the second at the 7-6 mark and led by three at the 18-15 mark before the Gophers put together a 10-3 run to close out the set 25-21.
The Horns battled back from an early third-set deficit, using a 4-1 rally capped by a block from senior outside hitter Amber Roberson and sophomore middle blocker Haley Cameron to even the tally at 19. The score was knotted again at 21 until a 4-1 Minnesota run paced by two Wittman kills closed the stanza, 25-22.
Texas returns to action on Friday, Sept. 9 when it takes on No. 9 Florida at the Nike Big Four Volleyball Classic in Palo Alto, Calif. First serve is set for 6 p.m. Central.
POST-MATCH NOTES
- The Texas loss moved its all-time record against Minnesota to 2-3 and 0-2 in Minneapolis.
- The Horns' back-to-back sweep losses mark the first time Texas has been swept in consecutive matches since Oct. 2 and 4, 2000 and the first time under head coach Jerritt Elliott.
- Texas was out-hit .333-to.278 in the loss to Minnesota.
- The Longhorns out-blocked the Gophers 8.0-to-2.0 on the night.
