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Post by ugopher on Nov 16, 2006 9:22:13 GMT -5
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Post by ugopher on Nov 16, 2006 9:23:00 GMT -5
For Wolfgang: The MN Daily article: Minnesota snaps Wisconsin's win streak The Gophers won in Madison for the first time since the 2003 season.
By Mark Heise
Wednesday was a happy 21st birthday for junior middle blocker Jessy Jones. Jones combined with senior middle blocker and Wisconsin native Meredith Nelson to have a field day, as the Minnesota volleyball team outplayed No. 10 Wisconsin en route to a four-game upset.
The birthday girl recorded 15 kills to tie a career-high and added three blocks as the 12th-ranked Gophers (20-7 overall, 14-3 Big Ten) handed the Badgers their first home loss since Aug. 25.
"I've never actually won at Wisconsin," Jones said. "So this was a great little present for me."
Traditionally a powerhouse at home, Wisconsin also suffered their first loss against Minnesota at home since 2003 - making Nelson and fellow seniors Kelly Bowman and Malama Peniata the only Minnesota players to have experienced a win on that court until Wednesday.
The Badgers (21-6, 13-4) struggled through the night, being held to a .173 hit percentage thanks in part to Peniata's team-high 17 digs.
Emilie Richardson Freshman defensive specialist Christine Tan waits for a serve during a match earlier this season. The Gophers beat the Badgers 3-1 on Wednesday night.More surprisingly, Wisconsin was also overpowered in one of its strongest areas, losing the blocking game 14-4.5. "We were well prepared offensively to avoid their block," coach Mike Hebert said. "Our two middle blockers took advantage of what Wisconsin was giving us tonight. They hit and blocked at a very high level and dominated throughout the match."
Led by seven kills apiece from Jones and Nelson, the Gophers started strong to capture games one and two, 30-26 and 30-22.
Wisconsin took advantage of Minnesota's .049 hitting percentage in game three, to beat the Gophers 30-18 and hold onto a slim chance of overcoming the 2-0 deficit.
The Badgers held a slim 17-14 lead in game four, but the Gophers tied it at 20, erasing Wisconsin's final lead of the night.
Nelson put the team on her shoulders from that point on, collecting five of her seven kills in the final moments of the match to help Minnesota avoid a fifth game, winning the fourth 30-25.
"All the seniors really started to take charge towards the end of the match," she said. "We had a good matchup with me against a freshman blocker and it sort of fell together for us. We really wanted to win and the team came together to make that happen."
Nelson led the way with 17 kills, seven blocks and a .481 hit percentage, while senior outside hitters Meghan Cumpston and Bowman recorded 12 and 10 kills, respectively.
Jones said the win wasn't only important in giving the Gophers sole ownership of second place in the conference, but was also an important test for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
"It's just great to be able to go in and win in an atmosphere like that," she said. "You have to play that much better to overcome the extra obstacles. It was a great test for the postseason and we passed it."
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Post by ugopher on Nov 16, 2006 9:24:02 GMT -5
Strib article: Volleyball: Gophers get a gift Unhappy at Arizona, Californian Meghan Cumpston searched for a team she could connect with and found it in Minnesota. Jerry Zgoda, Star Tribune
GOPHERS VOLLEYBALL
7 p.m. Saturday vs. Iowa • Sports Pavilion
Gophers Volleyball: Gophers get a gift
Disenchanted with big-time college athletics, Cumpston left Arizona after her sophomore season and returned home to northern California searching for a smaller school where she could still play competitive volleyball and enroll in a preparatory program to become a veterinarian.
When she couldn't find the answer close to home, she expanded her search. She saw the Gophers play the 2004 national title match on TV.
Intrigued, she scoured their roster on the Internet and discovered the team so far away needed outside hitters.
She also learned the university has a respected animal-science program.
"Mike is very unique in the way he coaches," she said explaining her decision to give big-time volleyball another try. "Everything seemed to fit."
She moved to Minnesota and into the Gophers' lineup last season. She started this season -- her fifth year after she sat out a season at Arizona -- as a 6-2 back-row defensive specialist while sophomore Katie Vatterrodt played up front.
"I expected her to be sour on that decision, and she never flinched," Hebert said. "Her attitude was remarkably refreshing."
At midseason, Hebert turned a week of practices into intrasquad games. Statistics were kept. Cumpston stepped forth.
"I just got very competitive," she said. "It started me playing well. And ever since..."
And ever since, she has been a fixture on the 12th-ranked Gophers' left side. She has become an all-around threat -- dangerous with her jump serve as well as an improved primary passer and blocker -- who has reached double figures in kills in 10 of her past 11 matches, including Wednesday night's victory at No. 10 Wisconsin that gave the Gophers sole possession of second place in the Big Ten.
Herbert sounds like an Iron Chef when he describes Cumpston's metamorphosis, attributing it to the "marination" of the team's only fifth-year senior.
"She's doing things she couldn't do last year," Hebert said. "I think part of it is something a lot of seniors go through: They find themselves realizing there's not a lot longer to go in their career, and they play with a newfound confidence and aggressiveness."
When asked whether his decision to start her out this season as a defensive specialist was a master motivational move or a stupid coaching choice, he said, "I don't even know."
Cumpston and fellow seniors Kelly Bowman, Malama Peniata and Meredith Nelson will play their final scheduled match at the Sports Pavilion Saturday against Iowa. The other three have called the arena home the past four years. Cumpston possibly is saying goodbye -- the Gophers could receive home matches to start the NCAA tournament -- after only two years, both of which she calls unforgettable.
"I've had the greatest time here," she said. "It's everything I could have ever asked for."
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2006 11:46:47 GMT -5
And it was just Veterinarian's Day wasn't it?
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