The No. 11 Gophers volleyball team upset No. 6 Nebraska in five sets at the Pav. The two traded sets back and forth, but it was Minnesota who came out on top.
The Gophers were able to take the first set, but it was the Cornhuskers who got off to the quick start. Minnesota was able to turn things around quickly and went on an 8-3 run to take the lead 12-9. After allowing three straight points, the Gophers got two kills to take the lead into the media timeout 15-13.
With just a one-point lead, the Gophers opened things up with a 7-1 run to make it 24-17 and give themselves the opportunity to close things out. The Cornhuskers didn’t give up and scored five straight points before Minnesota finally won the set 25-22.
In the second set, it was Minnesota who got off to the early lead, scoring the first three points, but it was Nebraska who took the set. The Cornhuskers exploded for a 7-0 run to take a 7-3 lead and force a Gopher timeout.
The set was a back and forth battle of runs. The Gophers found themselves up 24-20 and had a chance to go up two sets. But just like the first set, the Cornhuskers didn’t give up and scored four straight to tie it up.
The two traded points, but Nebraska broke the streak and scored two straight to take the second set 30-28.
The first half of the third set was a battle, but the Gophers were able to open the set up and had an eight-point lead late in the set. Up 21-13, Minnesota was in the driver’s seat to break the tie. The Cornhuskers again put up a fight with their backs against the wall. Minnesota was able to hold them off and won the third set 25-21.
Minnesota had a chance to close out the match in the fourth set up 2-1, but Nebraska had other plans. The Gophers took another early lead, but Nebraska tied it up at 6-6. After a 7-4 run by Minnesota, the Cornhuskers cut the deficit to one before Minnesota went into the media timeout up 15-14.
Nebraska took the lead out of the timeout, and it was a back and forth battle for the rest of the set. The night wasn’t over for the Cornhuskers as they forced a fifth set with a 25-23 win.
It was a 3-3 start in the fifth set as the teams exchanged points to start overtime. The Gophers scored two straight to take a lead, but Nebraska tied things up right after. After exchanging the next eight points, Minnesota scored the next six points to close out the night with a 15-9 win in the fifth set.
Minnesota will next face Ohio State on Thursday, Nov. 4 on the road.
