Minnesota Golden Gophers 2021

[comet]

One thing I'm noticing about this team is how close they are to each other relationally. They're playing for each other and I'm loving their chemistry right now. I hope they go out there and play their hearts out for Samedy and Miyabe.

[vollem]

Dec 5, 2021 22:14:49 GMT -5 comet said:

One thing I'm noticing about this team is how close they are to each other relationally. They're playing for each other and I'm loving their chemistry right now. I hope they go out there and play their hearts out for Samedy and Miyabe.

The tribune article, which I may now get paywalled on so I can't go back, mentioned just that. Before the matchup against tOSU (the one after the PSU loss?) they had a Talk (capital T for the turning point) that basically said they will do everything for each other. Think that's when Wenaas started revving up more. Article also had Shaff coming out of a funk around that point. It was actually a pretty interesting read into their mentality. Very honest.

[gopherhim]

Dec 5, 2021 22:14:49 GMT -5 comet said:

One thing I'm noticing about this team is how close they are to each other relationally. They're playing for each other and I'm loving their chemistry right now. I hope they go out there and play their hearts out for Samedy and Miyabe.

And McMenimen and Myers!

[comet]

Dec 5, 2021 22:19:04 GMT -5 vollem said:

Dec 5, 2021 22:14:49 GMT -5 comet said:

One thing I'm noticing about this team is how close they are to each other relationally. They're playing for each other and I'm loving their chemistry right now. I hope they go out there and play their hearts out for Samedy and Miyabe.

The tribune article, which I may now get paywalled on so I can't go back, mentioned just that. Before the matchup against tOSU (the one after the PSU loss?) they had a Talk (capital T for the turning point) that basically said they will do everything for each other. Think that's when Wenaas started revving up more. Article also had Shaff coming out of a funk around that point. It was actually a pretty interesting read into their mentality. Very honest.

Yeah, I saw the article, but couldn't read it. I just noticed on Instagram how close they are. I'm glad they had their turning point and are turning it up at the right time!

[comet]

Dec 5, 2021 22:22:56 GMT -5 gopherhim said:

Dec 5, 2021 22:14:49 GMT -5 comet said:

One thing I'm noticing about this team is how close they are to each other relationally. They're playing for each other and I'm loving their chemistry right now. I hope they go out there and play their hearts out for Samedy and Miyabe.

And McMenimen and Myers!

Yes, sorry didn't mean to leave them out. Myers and McMenimen too!

[mnvb56]

Here is that StarTribune article mentioned above--I think just this once I'm okay with sharing something from behind their paywall😊:

U looks within to succeed
Amid the confusion and stress of a pandemic, Gophers players have leaned on each other.

By JEFF DAY • [e-mail]

Hazy afternoon light sagged through the blinds on the two-story windows in Maturi Pavilion this week and backlit the banners showcasing decades of success for the University of Minnesota volleyball program.

Big Ten titles, Sweet 16s, Elite Eights, Final Fours.

Sophomore setter Melani Shaffmaster sat in the bleachers and considered how this unprecedented year in team history — two seasons worth of action crammed into 11 months during a pandemic — impacted her relationship to the game she has played at the highest level in the country for nearly her entire life.

"I'm just going to be honest with you because I don't have a problem telling people, but I was just like, 'I don't know what I'm doing here right
now,’ ” Shaffmaster said. “It’s a lot of hard work and just so much more stressful than it should be. “But I came back to — I’ve been playing volleyball for 15 years, and it is what I love to do, and if I wasn’t doing it, I don’t know what I would be doing.”

Shaffmaster and her Gophers teammates are about to do what is expected of them, opening the first round of the NCAA tournament at Maturi Pavilion as the No. 12 overall seed against South Dakota on Friday night.

But earned expectations are not easy.

It was the promise of sophomores Shaffmaster and Jenna Wenaas that had to grow in the cauldron of Big Ten competition to complement veterans like Stephanie Samedy, CC McGraw, Katie Myers, Rachel Kilkelly and Airi Miyabe.

“I would say first of all coming here [during the COVID- 19 era] is not what anyone planned for,” Wenaas said. “It was definitely an adjustment that kind of took a long time to make.”
The Gophers started this season 1-3 — with losses to then-No. 10 Baylor, No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Florida. Then they started Big Ten play 3-2 and stood 8-5 overall after losing just three matches all of last season.

The story of how the team turned its season around — finishing a rugged Big Ten schedule 12-3 — was built on taking moments of isolation or confusion and using it for teambuilding.
Shaffmaster pointed to a four-set win against Ohio State i n late October that came two days after the Gophers were swept at home by Penn State. She said the talk before that Ohio State game was, “We’re here for each other. This is what we’re going to do for each other. That is all we need to worry about. The other team doesn’t matter.”

A clean motto: We’re here for each other.

It’s worked.

Wenaas was just named second team all-conference after finishing second on the team behind Samedy with 336 kills. Shaffmaster’s 10.75 assists per set ranked fourth in the Big Ten and jumped from 9.69 per set last season.

Coach Hugh McCutcheon said that while the start of Shaffmaster’s career was clearly unique, her development had to be personal. “You’ve got to stand up and actually do it for real; it’s a whole different thing,” McCutcheon said. “You can talk to people all the time about what it’s like, but you don’t know what it’s like until you’re in it. Experience is the teacher.

“For her, hey, some weaknesses are exposed, opportunities for improvement and all that stuff. But the wonderful thing about Melani is she doesn’t get into the whole pity party too much, she just leans into that and sees it as it is, which is an opportunity for improvement and gets to work.”

That process of development is something he believes filters through the entire team and never stops until the players leave campus.

“We have a responsibility for holistic development,” McCutcheon said. “Can we help these people be better people and not just treat them as a competitive commodity? I think that matters.”

Wenaas said part of that development comes from letting each match illuminate something new. “Every game is just a whole new experience, which is cool, because I like learning a lot,” she said. “But it is an adjustment that I make every week.”

Now this week brings a reward for that work. The NCAA tournament at home .

“It feels like a new season now,” Wenaas said. “We’re all starting over. Doesn’t matter if you won the Big Ten or not. We’re all in it now.”

It will be an earned moment for a group of players that pride themselves on success but clearly see the beauty that has come from obstacles — both internal and external — during a historic year.

“Sometimes I’m re-watching film and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I literally am playing for the University of Minnesota. I can’t believe I’m actually here.’ ”
Shaffmaster said. “But we’re all supposed to be here. And we wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t a reason behind it.”

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2021 22:51:12 GMT -5 mnvb56 said:

Here is that StarTribune article mentioned above--I think just this once I'm okay with sharing something from behind their paywall😊:

U looks within to succeed
Amid the confusion and stress of a pandemic, Gophers players have leaned on each other.

By JEFF DAY • [e-mail]

Hazy afternoon light sagged through the blinds on the two-story windows in Maturi Pavilion this week and backlit the banners showcasing decades of success for the University of Minnesota volleyball program.

Big Ten titles, Sweet 16s, Elite Eights, Final Fours.

Sophomore setter Melani Shaffmaster sat in the bleachers and considered how this unprecedented year in team history — two seasons worth of action crammed into 11 months during a pandemic — impacted her relationship to the game she has played at the highest level in the country for nearly her entire life.

"I'm just going to be honest with you because I don't have a problem telling people, but I was just like, 'I don't know what I'm doing here right
now,’ ” Shaffmaster said. “It’s a lot of hard work and just so much more stressful than it should be. “But I came back to — I’ve been playing volleyball for 15 years, and it is what I love to do, and if I wasn’t doing it, I don’t know what I would be doing.”

Shaffmaster and her Gophers teammates are about to do what is expected of them, opening the first round of the NCAA tournament at Maturi Pavilion as the No. 12 overall seed against South Dakota on Friday night.

But earned expectations are not easy.

It was the promise of sophomores Shaffmaster and Jenna Wenaas that had to grow in the cauldron of Big Ten competition to complement veterans like Stephanie Samedy, CC McGraw, Katie Myers, Rachel Kilkelly and Airi Miyabe.

“I would say first of all coming here [during the COVID- 19 era] is not what anyone planned for,” Wenaas said. “It was definitely an adjustment that kind of took a long time to make.”
The Gophers started this season 1-3 — with losses to then-No. 10 Baylor, No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Florida. Then they started Big Ten play 3-2 and stood 8-5 overall after losing just three matches all of last season.

The story of how the team turned its season around — finishing a rugged Big Ten schedule 12-3 — was built on taking moments of isolation or confusion and using it for teambuilding.
Shaffmaster pointed to a four-set win against Ohio State i n late October that came two days after the Gophers were swept at home by Penn State. She said the talk before that Ohio State game was, “We’re here for each other. This is what we’re going to do for each other. That is all we need to worry about. The other team doesn’t matter.”

A clean motto: We’re here for each other.

It’s worked.

Wenaas was just named second team all-conference after finishing second on the team behind Samedy with 336 kills. Shaffmaster’s 10.75 assists per set ranked fourth in the Big Ten and jumped from 9.69 per set last season.

Coach Hugh McCutcheon said that while the start of Shaffmaster’s career was clearly unique, her development had to be personal. “You’ve got to stand up and actually do it for real; it’s a whole different thing,” McCutcheon said. “You can talk to people all the time about what it’s like, but you don’t know what it’s like until you’re in it. Experience is the teacher.

“For her, hey, some weaknesses are exposed, opportunities for improvement and all that stuff. But the wonderful thing about Melani is she doesn’t get into the whole pity party too much, she just leans into that and sees it as it is, which is an opportunity for improvement and gets to work.”

That process of development is something he believes filters through the entire team and never stops until the players leave campus.

“We have a responsibility for holistic development,” McCutcheon said. “Can we help these people be better people and not just treat them as a competitive commodity? I think that matters.”

Wenaas said part of that development comes from letting each match illuminate something new. “Every game is just a whole new experience, which is cool, because I like learning a lot,” she said. “But it is an adjustment that I make every week.”

Now this week brings a reward for that work. The NCAA tournament at home .

“It feels like a new season now,” Wenaas said. “We’re all starting over. Doesn’t matter if you won the Big Ten or not. We’re all in it now.”

It will be an earned moment for a group of players that pride themselves on success but clearly see the beauty that has come from obstacles — both internal and external — during a historic year.

“Sometimes I’m re-watching film and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I literally am playing for the University of Minnesota. I can’t believe I’m actually here.’ ”
Shaffmaster said. “But we’re all supposed to be here. And we wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t a reason behind it.”

Great read! Thank you for sharing. Love the quotes from the players but especially enjoyed the quotes from coach. He is an outstanding man who articulates himself very well. I would love to experience what it’s like playing for him or even being on his bench.

[Deleted]

How cute is Airi? I’ve never heard her speak but she seems so shy.

[vollem]

Gotta say for the replay, that was a very strong serving game from Shaff. Tempo was evident. Just a handful died short or dipped, but when that happened Wenaas converted very nicely. Reminded me of someone named Sarah, almost like it was on purpose. Miyabe also looks much more relaxed on serve receive. I noticed she'd kick her leg out a lot to make an angle. That wasn't there the last couple matches, although the brace might force her to keep her leg from doing something spastic.

[Deleted]

Dec 6, 2021 0:50:28 GMT -5 vollem said:

Gotta say for the replay, that was a very strong serving game from Shaff. Tempo was evident. Just a handful died short or dipped, but when that happened Wenaas converted very nicely. Reminded me of someone named Sarah, almost like it was on purpose. Miyabe also looks much more relaxed on serve receive. I noticed she'd kick her leg out a lot to make an angle. That wasn't there the last couple matches, although the brace might force her to keep her leg from doing something spastic.

I noticed that too about Miyabe’s serve receive. She had interesting ways to keep the integrity of her angles. I believe she even formed an angle above her head and spun out of it in an attempt to control the ball. Not unheard of, but you don’t see that too often as that motion is not very repeatable.

[Deleted]

Maybe some things they train in Japan to youth, that we don't focus on as much in the States?

[mcmike]

rotating circle of hell on U W website

"Please wait while we reserve the best possible seats for you"

they said up to 3 minutes but it's been 13'   22' 34' and still spinning so far

If anyone scores tix for Thurs and has one for me to tagalong....


my head stopped spinning but the UW circle didn't.  followed justafanmn and scored GA

[mnvb56]

I've not even got that far--this is the message that I've gotten the several times I've put 2 general admission tickets into my cart and clicked to the next page:" We are sorry. The number of seats you requested could not be found in any price level at this time. You may request a different number of tickets and try again. If you want to try again, click here."

And I started the process right at 9am, so if there is some ticket-buying bot snapping up all of the tickets, it's pretty fast!

[mcmike]

who knows....
is there an automated queue and logging in at 9:01 got me into one and then the website got overwhelmed
so it is spinning endlessly

On a side note I fired up btnplus last night and rewatched just the first set so far of the august match with Baylor.
We lost in extra innings.
The middle connection in that set looked pretty competent.  I don't know how it fell apart.

[gophervbfan]

The ticket office is working fine. General admission tickets.