Minnesota Scene: No. 2 Penn State tops Gophers in volleyball

Ariel Scott's 14 kills led second-ranked Penn State to a 25-20, 25-17, 25-23 victory over the No. 11 Gophers volleyball team Saturday night at the Sports Pavilion.

The Big Ten-leading Nittany Lions (23-2, 14-1) defeated the Gophers for the seventh consecutive time.

Ashley Wittman had 13 kills and 12 digs and Tori Dixon had 10 kills to lead the Gophers (22-6, 10-5), who suffered only their second home loss of the season.

The announced attendance was a season-high 5,748.

No. 19 Wisconsin-Stevens Point defeated No. 4-ranked and defending national champion St. Thomas, 19-25, 25-14, 25-21, 25-19 in the championship match of the Division III volleyball regional at St. Thomas.

The Pointers (34-4) ran their winning streak to 23 and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals.

The Tommies (30-3) saw a 12-match postseason winning streak end. Kelly Foley had 22 kills for the Tommies and was chosen MVP of the regional.

The Bulldogs (28-2, 18-2 NSIC) avenged a five-game loss to the Golden Bears in St. Paul in September.

Julie Rainey had 30 digs for the Bulldogs and became the school's all-time leader. Emily McDonough had 16 kills for the Golden Bears (27-2, 19-1).

Host St. Olaf, led by second- and third-place finishes by Grant Wintheiser and Jake Brown, won the men's Division III Central Region Cross Country Championship with 51 points. Central (Iowa), behind medalist Eli Horton, was second with a 61.

Wartburg won the women's race with a score of 86. Carleton (104) was second. St. Scholstica's Chelsea Johnson was medalist, ahead of St. Olaf's Noelle Olson.

• St. Benedict lost 2-0 to Loras in an NCAA Division III women's soccer regional in Normal, Ill.