Minnesota Scene: Gophers rally, but lose five-set match at Ohio State

Ohio State defeated the Gophers 25-21, 28-26, 27-29, 13-25 and 15-8 on Wednesday in a Big Ten volleyball match in Columbus.

Daly Santana had 15 kills and 11 errors on 43 attacks for the Gophers (18-12, 8-11). Teammates Alyssa Goehner had 11 kills and Paige Tapp 10.

Luisa Schirmer led the No. 20 Buckeyes (20-11, 11-8) with 17 kills and 12 digs

The match, which took 2 hours and 15 minutes before an announced crowd of 1,987 at St. John's Arena, was tied 45 times and included 17 lead changes.

Minnesota hit .226, Ohio State .204. The visitors also outblocked the Buckeyes 13.5 to 11.

The Gophers play Indiana at 7 p.m. Friday at the Sports Pavilion and then will find out at 7:30 p.m. Sunday if they made the 64-team field for the NCAA tournament. The selection show will be on ESPNU.

Offensive lineman Chris Reed of Minnesota State Mankato was named one of eight finalists for the Gene Upshaw Award, given to the top lineman in NCAA Division II football.

MSU Mankato (11-0) plays the Pittsburg State Gorillas in the second round of the playoffs at 1 p.m. Saturday at Blakeslee Stadium.

Jim Boo of Minnesota Duluth was named the coach of the year in the NCAA Division II Central Region, and four of his players made the 14-player all-region team. The Bulldogs honored are junior setter Ashley Hinsch, senior libero Julie Rainey, junior outside hitter Mariah Scharf and junior middle blocker Monica Turner.

Four other NSIC players also made the all-region team: sophomore middle blocker Riley Hanson, sophomore right-side hitter Emma Lange and junior setter Kasey Williams, all of Concordia (St. Paul), and junior right-side hitter Abbey Thissen of Southwest Minnesota State.