Gophers volleyball beats Iowa for 50th consecutive time

The No. 9 Gophers swept Iowa 25-22, 25-15, 25-11 on Wednesday night in a Big Ten volleyball match at the Xtreme Arena in Coralville, Iowa. The victory was Minnesota's 50th in a row over the Hawkeyes, going back to 1995.

Redshirt sophomore Taylor Landfair led the Gophers (11-6, 6-3 Big Ten) with 13 kills and eight blocks. Freshman Mckenna Wucherer and junior Jenna Wenaas had eight kills apiece.

Junior setter Melani Shaffmaster had 29 assists to surpass 2,500 in her career. Her 2,526 total are ninth all-time in program history.

Fifth-year senior libero CC McGraw had 10 digs, giving her 1,736 for her career — two short of passing Jessica Granquist (2008-11) for No. 4 all-time. Shaffmaster also had 10 digs.

The Gophers, who have won five of their past six matches, hit .294. Iowa (7-13, 1-8) hit .054.

The Gophers soccer team (7-7-2, 3-4-1) plays its last regular-season match at home when it faces Purdue (3-9-3, 0-5-3) at 6 p.m. Thursday at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Minnesota is 8-1 in its past nine meetings with the Boilermakers.

The Gophers are eighth in the Big Ten standings with 10 points. With a win over Purdue on Thursday and a loss or tie by Illinois (7-7-2, 2-5-1) against Wisconsin, Minnesota will secure a spot in the conference tournament.

Graduate defender Gabbie Cesarone, a Division III transfer from Washington University in St. Louis, was named to Top Drawer Soccer's team of the week. Cesarone scored the game-tying goal against No. 8 Rutgers and the game-winner over Maryland.

Gophers fifth-year senior Joy Zhu of Wuhan, China, was named the Big Ten women's diver of the week. She swept the 1- and 3-meter boards against Nebraska and South Dakota in Lincoln, Neb.