University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, November 1
Minneapolis, MN
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
17-6,7-5Big Ten
2
vs
3
USC
17-5,8-4Big Ten
1
2
3
4
5
F
Southern California
19
25
23
25
15
3
Minnesota
25
22
25
15
12
2
Team Stats
USC
MINN
Kills
68
56
Errors
15
27
Attempts
152
160
Hitting %
.349
.181
Points
89.0
79.5
Assists
65
52
Aces
7
15
Blocks
14
8.5
Game Leaders
Kills
26
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Kills
12
Aces
9
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
Opposite
/ VolleyballOutside
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ VolleyballMiddle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
No. 20 'U' Falls in Five Setter to No. 22 Trojans
11/1/2025 10:58:00 PM | Volleyball
Hanson hit a career-high 26 kills while Gilk had nine aces
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 20 Minnesota volleyball team fell in five sets to the No. 22 USC Trojans on Saturday night at Maturi Pavilion. The set scores were 19-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-15, 15-12.
"That's two times in the last three matches we've fallen in a tight fifth set," said head coach Keegan Cook. "It stings. We're just motivated to get back in the gym. The overwhelming feeling is I'm just fired up to teach."
Julia Hanson paced the Gophers with a career-high 26 kills while Carly Gilk had 12 kills, 11 digs and a career-high nine service aces. Stella Swenson led the offense with 44 assists and added 14 digs.
"Julia's a second half of the Big Ten type of player," said Cook. "We saw this last year, she's at her best at the end. That's something that we really value. She's living that out right now and is really going for it. She's showing a high level of leadership with the way she's playing and swings she's taking. I'm proud of her."
The Gophers (17-6, 7-5 Big Ten) were outhit by the Trojans (17-5, 8-4 Big Ten) .349 to .181. USC led in kills (68 to 56), digs (63 to 57) and blocks (13 to 8). The Gophers led in aces (15 to 7).
For USC, London Wijay went for 25 kills and 12 digs while Reese Meeser paced the offense with 54 assists. She also chipped in nine digs and five blocks.
How It Happened
SET 1 | USC got a kill to score the first point before Minnesota scored six straight, getting two aces from Gilk and three kills from Hanson to go up 6-1. The Trojans called their first timeout of the frame at that point. Gilk did not slow down from the service line, scoring again on an ace. A Swenson solo block and another Hanson kill completed the run as Minnesota went up 9-1. The Trojans scored seven of the next 11Â to cut the lead to five at 13-8. The Gophers would go on a 7-3 spurt after that, getting aces from Garr and Gilk combined with a kill from Myers and two more kills from Gilk. USC called a timeout trailing 20-11. The Trojans would cut the lead to six at 23-17 before the 'U' called timeout. Minnesota ended the set with a 25-19 win after getting two kills from Kinney. The 'U' hit .323 in the first frame, led by three kills, five aces and a block from Gilk.
SET 2 | USC took charge to begin set two, scoring five of the first seven. A USC error and Hanson ace made it 5-4 before the Trojans went on an 8-2 run to go up 13-6, forcing a Minnesota timeout. USC went up 14-6 before three straight from the Gophers made it 14-9. The 'U' would get as close as four at 16-12 following a solo block and a kill from Hanson. After a USC timeout, the Trojans would extend their lead out to seven again at 20-13 before two errors and kills from Hanson and Gilk brought it back to three at 21-18. USC called its second timeout of the set here. Minnesota got it to as few as two at 21-19 before a USC ace and kill made it 23-19. The Trojans would close it out with a 25-22 win.
SET 3 | The third frame was back and forth the whole way. The Gophers scored five of the first eight, getting two more aces from Gilk. The Trojans scored four straight after that to go up 7-5. USC would go up by as many as three at 10-7 before the Gophers raced back to tie it up at 11 after kills from Gilk and Hanson combined with a block from Gilk and Myers. Minnesota led 15-13 at the media timeout, getting a kill from Myers and block from Swenson and Taylor to go up. Minnesota would keep the momentum going, taking an 18-15 lead after a Gilk kill, leading to a USC timeout. An ace from Swenson and kill from Taylor helped the Gophers go up 20-16 before two kills from USC forced a timeout from coach Cook at 20-18. The Gophers would bounce back, scoring three of the next four, getting two kills from Hanson and one from Kate Thibault to go up 23-19 and force a Trojans timeout. Two straight from the Trojans made it 23-21, leading to Minnesota's final timeout. USC would tie it up at 23-23 before a service error and Hanson ace ended the set with a 25-23 Minnesota victory.
SET 4 | Minnesota started out red hot in set four, tallying five of the first six. Gilk registered her eighth ace of the match in the run. USC would battle back, scoring 10 of the next 13 to go up 11-8 and force a Minnesota timeout. After a kill from Hanson, USC tallied four straight to go up 15-9, causing coach Cook's second timeout of the frame. The Trojans did not slow down, going up by as many as nine at 19-10 before a Jordan Taylor kill brought it back down to eight. USC would go on to take set four, 25-15, to even the match at two sets apiece.
SET 5 | The two teams battled it out early on in the set. The Gophers led 2-1 early before USC scored seven of the next 11 to take an 8-6 lead into the side switch. USC went up three at 10-7 after a kill and a solo block before the 'U' called timeout. After a block from Taylor and Kinney, USC scored three straight to go up 13-8, leading to Minnesota's final timeout. The Gophers got to within two at 14-12 after a kill and ace from Gilk and a kill from Hanson. The Trojans called timeout before ending the match with a kill to win, 15-12.
Game Notes
» Minnesota is now 2-6-1 against USC, including 0-2 since the Trojans joined the Big Ten.
» Tonight's match was Minnesota's second five-setter this season (Oct. 26 at Purdue). Minnesota is 8-9 under Keegan Cook in five set matches.
» The 'U' had a season-best 15 service aces. It was their fifth time this year with 10-or-more.
» Lourdes Myers went for a team-best four blocks.
» Julia Hanson went for a career-best 26 kills, her 18th match of the season with 10+. It was her 12th with 15+ and third with 20+. It was her 10th career 20+ kill match. In her last two matches, she's tallied 50 kills.
» Carly Gilk had a career-high nine service aces along with 12 kills and 11 digs. It was her fifth time this season going for 10+ kills and 10+ digs. She's had three straight matches with 10+ digs. It was her second career double-double.
» Gilk's nine aces are the second most in program history for a match. She's the first Gopher since Andrea Gonzalez in 1988 to have nine-or-more aces in a match. Sharon Oesterling twice had 10 aces in a match, in 1987 and 1989. Paula Gentil in 2005 was the last Gopher to have eight-or-more aces in a match.
» Stella Swenson went for 44 assists and 14 digs for her sixth double-double this year.
» Georgia Lee tallied two service aces, her 8th match of the year with multiple.
Up Next
Minnesota goes to No. 12 Wisconsin (15-4, 8-3 B1G) on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The match is set for 7 p.m. on FS1.Â
"That's two times in the last three matches we've fallen in a tight fifth set," said head coach Keegan Cook. "It stings. We're just motivated to get back in the gym. The overwhelming feeling is I'm just fired up to teach."
Julia Hanson paced the Gophers with a career-high 26 kills while Carly Gilk had 12 kills, 11 digs and a career-high nine service aces. Stella Swenson led the offense with 44 assists and added 14 digs.
"Julia's a second half of the Big Ten type of player," said Cook. "We saw this last year, she's at her best at the end. That's something that we really value. She's living that out right now and is really going for it. She's showing a high level of leadership with the way she's playing and swings she's taking. I'm proud of her."
The Gophers (17-6, 7-5 Big Ten) were outhit by the Trojans (17-5, 8-4 Big Ten) .349 to .181. USC led in kills (68 to 56), digs (63 to 57) and blocks (13 to 8). The Gophers led in aces (15 to 7).
For USC, London Wijay went for 25 kills and 12 digs while Reese Meeser paced the offense with 54 assists. She also chipped in nine digs and five blocks.
How It Happened
SET 1 | USC got a kill to score the first point before Minnesota scored six straight, getting two aces from Gilk and three kills from Hanson to go up 6-1. The Trojans called their first timeout of the frame at that point. Gilk did not slow down from the service line, scoring again on an ace. A Swenson solo block and another Hanson kill completed the run as Minnesota went up 9-1. The Trojans scored seven of the next 11Â to cut the lead to five at 13-8. The Gophers would go on a 7-3 spurt after that, getting aces from Garr and Gilk combined with a kill from Myers and two more kills from Gilk. USC called a timeout trailing 20-11. The Trojans would cut the lead to six at 23-17 before the 'U' called timeout. Minnesota ended the set with a 25-19 win after getting two kills from Kinney. The 'U' hit .323 in the first frame, led by three kills, five aces and a block from Gilk.
SET 2 | USC took charge to begin set two, scoring five of the first seven. A USC error and Hanson ace made it 5-4 before the Trojans went on an 8-2 run to go up 13-6, forcing a Minnesota timeout. USC went up 14-6 before three straight from the Gophers made it 14-9. The 'U' would get as close as four at 16-12 following a solo block and a kill from Hanson. After a USC timeout, the Trojans would extend their lead out to seven again at 20-13 before two errors and kills from Hanson and Gilk brought it back to three at 21-18. USC called its second timeout of the set here. Minnesota got it to as few as two at 21-19 before a USC ace and kill made it 23-19. The Trojans would close it out with a 25-22 win.
SET 3 | The third frame was back and forth the whole way. The Gophers scored five of the first eight, getting two more aces from Gilk. The Trojans scored four straight after that to go up 7-5. USC would go up by as many as three at 10-7 before the Gophers raced back to tie it up at 11 after kills from Gilk and Hanson combined with a block from Gilk and Myers. Minnesota led 15-13 at the media timeout, getting a kill from Myers and block from Swenson and Taylor to go up. Minnesota would keep the momentum going, taking an 18-15 lead after a Gilk kill, leading to a USC timeout. An ace from Swenson and kill from Taylor helped the Gophers go up 20-16 before two kills from USC forced a timeout from coach Cook at 20-18. The Gophers would bounce back, scoring three of the next four, getting two kills from Hanson and one from Kate Thibault to go up 23-19 and force a Trojans timeout. Two straight from the Trojans made it 23-21, leading to Minnesota's final timeout. USC would tie it up at 23-23 before a service error and Hanson ace ended the set with a 25-23 Minnesota victory.
SET 4 | Minnesota started out red hot in set four, tallying five of the first six. Gilk registered her eighth ace of the match in the run. USC would battle back, scoring 10 of the next 13 to go up 11-8 and force a Minnesota timeout. After a kill from Hanson, USC tallied four straight to go up 15-9, causing coach Cook's second timeout of the frame. The Trojans did not slow down, going up by as many as nine at 19-10 before a Jordan Taylor kill brought it back down to eight. USC would go on to take set four, 25-15, to even the match at two sets apiece.
SET 5 | The two teams battled it out early on in the set. The Gophers led 2-1 early before USC scored seven of the next 11 to take an 8-6 lead into the side switch. USC went up three at 10-7 after a kill and a solo block before the 'U' called timeout. After a block from Taylor and Kinney, USC scored three straight to go up 13-8, leading to Minnesota's final timeout. The Gophers got to within two at 14-12 after a kill and ace from Gilk and a kill from Hanson. The Trojans called timeout before ending the match with a kill to win, 15-12.
Game Notes
» Minnesota is now 2-6-1 against USC, including 0-2 since the Trojans joined the Big Ten.
» Tonight's match was Minnesota's second five-setter this season (Oct. 26 at Purdue). Minnesota is 8-9 under Keegan Cook in five set matches.
» The 'U' had a season-best 15 service aces. It was their fifth time this year with 10-or-more.
» Lourdes Myers went for a team-best four blocks.
» Julia Hanson went for a career-best 26 kills, her 18th match of the season with 10+. It was her 12th with 15+ and third with 20+. It was her 10th career 20+ kill match. In her last two matches, she's tallied 50 kills.
» Carly Gilk had a career-high nine service aces along with 12 kills and 11 digs. It was her fifth time this season going for 10+ kills and 10+ digs. She's had three straight matches with 10+ digs. It was her second career double-double.
» Gilk's nine aces are the second most in program history for a match. She's the first Gopher since Andrea Gonzalez in 1988 to have nine-or-more aces in a match. Sharon Oesterling twice had 10 aces in a match, in 1987 and 1989. Paula Gentil in 2005 was the last Gopher to have eight-or-more aces in a match.
» Stella Swenson went for 44 assists and 14 digs for her sixth double-double this year.
» Georgia Lee tallied two service aces, her 8th match of the year with multiple.
Up Next
Minnesota goes to No. 12 Wisconsin (15-4, 8-3 B1G) on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The match is set for 7 p.m. on FS1.Â
Highlights: Gophers 2, USC 3
Saturday, November 01
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Sweep Illini
Thursday, October 30
Highlights: Gophers 3, Illinois 0
Wednesday, October 29
Highlights: Gophers 2, Purdue 3
Sunday, October 26