No. 1 Gophers volleyball team loses at Penn State

October 6, 2016 at 10:27AM
Penn State's Tori Morrell hit the ball over the Gophers' Samantha Seliger-Swenson during a match Wednesday.
Penn State's Tori Morrell hit the ball over the Gophers' Samantha Seliger-Swenson during a match Wednesday. (Brian Wicker — Centre Daily Times/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Gophers volleyball team, which moved up to No. 1 in the coaches' national ranking this week, lost at Penn State in five sets on Wednesday night.

The Nittany Lions, a perennial Big Ten power, won 29-27, 21-25, 23-25, 25-14, 15-10.

No. 15 Penn State (13-3, 5-0) outhit the Gophers .308 to .237 and had an 80-62 edge in hits.

Minnesota (12-2, 4-1), which had a 11-match winning streak, had more digs (65-60) and more blocks (11-10) but couldn't overcome its off night hitting.

Sarah Wilhite led the Gophers with 16 kills and 16 digs, while Hannah Tapp and Alexis Hart had 13 kills apiece. Molly Lohman added 10 kills, hitting a team-best .450 with eight blocks. Dalianliz Rosado added 17 digs.

The Gophers fell to 9-46 all-time against the Nittany Lions and have not won in Happy Valley since 2004.

Schmitz wins title

Sammy Schmitz of Stone-ridge Golf Club shot a 3-under 69 to win the MGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Baker National Golf Club by two shots. He had a final three-round total of 211.

Troy Johnson of Medina Golf and Country Club was next at 213 after a closing 68 despite a bogey on his final hole. Will Hickey of Stone-ridge was third at 217.

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Schmitz also won Mid-Am titles in 2011 and 2012; last year he finished second, by one stroke, for the third time.

Five on U.S. team

Gophers senior Lee Stecklein and four Minnesota hockey alumnae — Megan Bozek, Hannah Brandt, Amanda Kessel and Anne Schleper — were named to the U.S. women's national team.

The team will play in the Four Nations Cup from Nov. 1-5 in Vierumaki, Finland.

NEWS SERVICES

Penn State's Haleigh Washington )15) hits the ball over Minnesota's Paige Tapp during a match on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/TNS)
Penn State’s Haleigh Washington hit the ball over a block attempt by the Gophers’ Paige Tapp on Wednesday. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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