Huskers Fall to No. 9 Minnesota, 3-1

LINCOLN, Neb. - The No. 3 Nebraska volleyball team fell for the first time at home this season, 3-1 (23-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-27), to No. 9 Minnesota on Friday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The Huskers honored their 1995 national championship and 2005 runner-up teams in front of a season-high crowd of 8,515. 

In a battle of the Big Ten leaders, it was Minnesota who claimed sole possession of first place in the standings with an 8-1 Big Ten record and 16-3 overall record. Nebraska dropped to 7-2 in Big Ten play and 16-3 overall with its first home loss of the season that snapped a 16-match home win streak.   

Nebraska had a .253 to .240 hitting advantage and had a season-high 16 blocks to 11 for Minnesota. 

Kelsey Fien matched her career high of 19 kills and hit .386 to lead the Huskers. Kadie Rolfzen had 14 kills and a career-high 22 digs. Amber Rolfzen had a season-best 13 kills and five blocks, becoming the first Husker since 2005 to record at least five blocks in eight straight matches. Mikaela Foecke also had 13 kills. Cecilia Hall had a season-high 11 blocks with four kills. Kelly Hunter had 55 assists and 17 digs, tying her career high. 

Daly Santana led all players with 23 kills for Minnesota. Hannah Tapp had 17, and Dalianliz Rosado had 27 digs. Samantha Seliger-Swenson had 54 assists for the Golden Gophers. 

SET 1: The Huskers grabbed their first lead since 3-2 when an Amber Rolfzen kill and Minnesota hitting error made it 21-20. A Fien kill pushed the lead to 22-20, but Minnesota got a kill and ace around a Husker hitting error to go up 23-22. Santana connected on her seventh kill to give set one to the Gophers, 25-23, as they ended the set on a 5-1 run. Fien had six kills for the Huskers, who outhit Minnesota .421 to .364. 

SET 2: Minnesota built a 14-9 lead to gain the upper hand. Trailing 17-13, Nebraska went on a 5-0 run to go up 18-17. Kadie Rolfzen had a kill, while Fien smashed two to give the Huskers the lead, 18-17. But three unforced errors on the Huskers - a double-hit, service error and net violation - put the Gophers up 20-19. Santana made it 21-19 with a kill, and the Gophers went up 23-20 on a Paige Tapp kill. Minnesota won, 25-22, on a block by Hannah Tapp and Molly Lohman.

SET 3: Nebraska found itself playing from behind again as Minnesota staked a 15-10 lead. Nebraska trailed 20-15 but pulled within 20-18 with a 3-0 run started and capped by Fien kills. The Huskers later cut it to 21-20 on a Foecke kill and tied it 21-21 on a stuff block from Foecke and Hall. The Gophers hit wide to give Nebraska 22-21 lead, but Hannah Tapp leveled the score. Foecke had a hand in four straight points, and Amber Rolfzen finished it off with the final two kills for a 26-24 win. NU hit .353 in the set but more importantly held Minnesota to .209. 

SET 4: Nebraska fell behind 5-1 but came back to tie it 7-7 on a solo stuff by Amber Rolfzen. But Minnesota turned away the Huskers and reclaimed a 14-10 lead. Hall got in on three blocks to help NU within 15-13. But the Gophers went on a 6-2 run to lead 21-15. Having faced a similar situation in set three, the Huskers put together a furious comeback again to get within 21-20, with Hall and Hunter combining on two straight blocks. The teams traded points and Minnesota had set point at 24-22. The freshman Foecke produced two critical kills to tie the set, 24-24, and the Rolfzen twins teamed up for a block for set point, 25-24. However, Minnesota turned the tables as a block and kill gave the Gophers match point, which they clinched on a Sarah Wilhite kill.

UP NEXT: Nebraska is back at the Devaney Center on Saturday night to host No. 16 Wisconsin at 7:30 p.m. The match will be televised on BTN and streamed on BTN2GO.com.