U's improbable volleyball dream vanishes

The Gophers' surprising season ended just two victories from a Final Four as Iowa State proved to be too strong.

December 10, 2011 at 7:21AM
UM Gophers vs. Iowa State NCAA tournament volleyball. Minnesota's Ariana Filho (11) and Ashley Wittman (13) defended agasinst an Iowa State spike.
The Gophers' Ariana Filho (11) and Ashley Wittman (13) defended against Iowa State on Friday night. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

This was always a transition year, a transition team, a bridge to the Gophers' promising future. But that doesn't mean they wanted that future to come any faster, not with a match to win. Not with an improbable trip to the Final Four within reach.

So with Minnesota's volleyball season at stake on virtually every shot in the fourth set of their NCAA regional semifinal Friday night, the Gophers fought and dived and tried every trick they could think of. They switched up their lineup, changed their rhythm of attack, took chances with their serves. They staved off two points that would have ended the match, served a couple that would have forced a fifth-set tiebreaker -- and finally watched one last Iowa State kill bounce off their defense and fall to the court.

The season-ender, the climax to a thrilling 31-29 set and 3-1 loss, was pounded past them by an aggressively talented Cyclones freshman named Hurtt. And it will, for a while.

"This team stayed the course and stayed strong," said Laura Bush, the interim coach who accepted a one-year assignment of keeping new coach Hugh McCutcheon's program together until he arrives after coaching the U.S. women's Olympic team in London. "Things didn't go the way we wanted at the end of this match, but there's a lot to be proud of. This team will have a banner that says Sweet 16 -- 2011. They have fulfilled their role. They should hold their heads high."

They should. As the 13th seed, lowest of the four teams that make up the Minneapolis regional, the Gophers (20-12) weren't expected to go any farther. But on their own home court, and playing just minutes after 12th-seeded Florida State upset No. 5 Purdue to advance to Saturday's final (8:30 p.m., ESPNU), it was hard not to dream of an impromptu trip to San Antonio next week for the Gophers' fourth Final Four of the past decade.

Especially when the Gophers came out so strong. They reeled off eight consecutive points, gave up a couple, then went on another 4-1 run. The set ended 25-18, and with a loud crowd of 3,237 behind them, it was possible to picture a surprise ending to this odd season.

"We did a good job of fighting back," said Hailey Cowles, who had 15 kills in her final match as a Gopher. "But they're a very good defensive team."

The Cyclones defense kicked in soon enough. Iowa State's bigger front line hammered 30 Gophers shots back at them during the match. Then Iowa State's outside hitters got hot, played virtually mistake-free volleyball -- Iowa State made only two attacking errors in the second set, and just four in the third --and the Gophers suddenly were playing for their season.

They nearly extended it during a raucous, back-and-forth final set, and despite clutch plays by Cowles, Ashley Wittman (15 kills) and Katherine Harms (14), they couldn't penetrate the Cyclones defense on either of their set points. Victoria Hurtt's kill finally put them away, the second time in four seasons Iowa State has eliminated the Gophers.

about the writer

about the writer

Phil Miller

Reporter

Phil Miller has covered the Twins for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2013. Previously, he covered the University of Minnesota football team, and from 2007-09, he covered the Twins for the Pioneer Press.

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