With their season hanging in the balance, the Gophers tiptoed a high wire to defeat Indiana 13-25, 32-30, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12 on Sunday afternoon in Bloomington, Ind.

It was a showcase of volleyball tension, as the two teams entered the match tied for sixth place in the crowded midsection of the Big Ten standings. They brought out the best in one another — the Hoosiers scored 11 more points than the Gophers (115-104) and outhit them .244 to .233, but at crucial moments, again and again, Minnesota found a way.

"Every one of these matches is critical," Gophers coach Keegan Cook said. "Any time you see your team fight when it's all on the line like that, you're happy for them. That's the best way I can describe it."

Julia Hanson came off the bench in the first set and delivered likely the best match of her career with 19 kills on .267 hitting to go along with six digs — it was her kill that ended a dynamic, swaying 62-point second set. Lydia Grote led the Gophers with 23 points. She had 19 kills and hit a punishing .350 while adding five digs and four blocks. Taylor Landfair had a double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs. Melani Shaffmaster doled out 46 assists, and Kylie Murr had 20 digs.

Indiana (18-11 overall, 8-8 Big Ten) matched the Gophers (13-11, 9-7) every inch of the way. Candela Alonso-Corcelles finished with a game-high 24 kills on 65 attempts. Camryn Haworth had 58 assists. The only team statistical categories in which the Hoosiers lost were attack errors, 25-24, and service errors, 13-12.

The stats are illustrative. The match hinged on the smallest gaps. Shaffmaster's ace dropping, barely in, to secure a nip-tuck fourth set with the Gophers trailing 2 sets to 1. Grote's perfectly timed block against a red-hot Alonso-Corcelles to win the match in the fifth set.

"This team is amazing," Hanson told the Big Ten Network after the match. "I have nothing but great words for this team. We've had a hard season and came out here with no fear. We just did what we had to do to get this done."

No fear. Not a bad mantra as Minnesota returns home to Maturi Pavilion for its final four matches of the season, an NCAA tournament berth suddenly feeling back within reach.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the match. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.