University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, October 9
Piscataway, NJ
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
8-5,2-3Big Ten
3
at
1
Rutgers
10-7,1-4Big Ten
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Rutgers | 20 | 25 | 22 | 17 | 1 |
Gophers Earn First Big Ten Road Victory
10/9/2026 8:42:00 PM | Volleyball
No. 21 Minnesota picked up their first Big Ten road win, taking down Rutgers in four sets (25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 25-17). Mckenna Wucherer led the Gophers with 20 kills and capped off a double-double with 11 digs. Zeynep Palabiyik tied a season-high with 21 digs.
MATCH NOTES
-Mckenna Wucherer has now had double-digit kills in 11 matches this year and the sixth straight.
- As a team, the Gophers tallied seven service aces, three different players tallied two.
- The win tonight marks the first Gopher Big Ten win of the 2026 season.
UP NEXT
• Minnesota continues their road trip and will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus at 3 p.m. CT on BTN.
SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: After exchanging the first few points of the match,with Mckenna Wucherer at the service line the Gophers went on a 5-0 run to take an early 12-7 lead, forcing a Rutgers timeout. After the media time out at 15, Minnesota went on another 5 point run, taking a 18-14 lead. Rutgers got within three (20-17), before a Jordan Taylor kill made Minnesota the first to 21, forcing another Rutgers timeout at 22. After two set points, Mckenna Wucherers' kill sealed the Minnesota set win 25-20. The Gophers hit .459 on the set and tallied 18 digs.
Set 2: Rutgers started the match on a 3-0 run, Minnesota chipped back and eventually tied the set at 8-8 off a Stella Swenson ace. Swenson and the Gophers then went on a 3-0 run taking a 11-8 lead. Rutgers then tied the match at 11. Minnesota then trailed 14-15 at the media timeout. The Gophers then found themselves down 15-19, forcing a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers strung together a 3-0 run to get back within two (18-20) and forced a Rutgers timeout. Rutgers then went on a 4-1 run to force a Minnesota timeout at 20-23. A Rutgers set point service error brought Minnesota back within one. Rutgers then took set two 25-23.
Set 3: Set three was a set of runs
The Scarlet Knights started the set on another 3-0 run, Minnesota then went on a 3-0 run of their own to knot the set at 3. Rutgers then went on a 5-1 run to force a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers went on a 4-1 run of their own to get back within two. Minnesota went on a 4-0 run to take a 15-14 lead into the media timeout. Minnesota then forced a Rutgers timeout leading 21-19. The Gophers went on a 3-1 run, capped off by a Carly Gilk kill to take the set 25-22.
Set 4: Minnesota started the set on a 5-1 run, taking a 7-4 lead and forcing a Rutgers timeout. The Gophers went on a 4-1 run to take a 15-9 lead into the timeout. Minnesota then went on a 5-2 run to extend their lead to 21-16. Rutgers then took a timeout as the Gophers led 23-16. The Gophers capped off the set and the match with a 5-1 run capped off with a Minnesota block party.
MATCH NOTES
-Mckenna Wucherer has now had double-digit kills in 11 matches this year and the sixth straight.
- As a team, the Gophers tallied seven service aces, three different players tallied two.
- The win tonight marks the first Gopher Big Ten win of the 2026 season.
UP NEXT
• Minnesota continues their road trip and will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus at 3 p.m. CT on BTN.
SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: After exchanging the first few points of the match,with Mckenna Wucherer at the service line the Gophers went on a 5-0 run to take an early 12-7 lead, forcing a Rutgers timeout. After the media time out at 15, Minnesota went on another 5 point run, taking a 18-14 lead. Rutgers got within three (20-17), before a Jordan Taylor kill made Minnesota the first to 21, forcing another Rutgers timeout at 22. After two set points, Mckenna Wucherers' kill sealed the Minnesota set win 25-20. The Gophers hit .459 on the set and tallied 18 digs.
Set 2: Rutgers started the match on a 3-0 run, Minnesota chipped back and eventually tied the set at 8-8 off a Stella Swenson ace. Swenson and the Gophers then went on a 3-0 run taking a 11-8 lead. Rutgers then tied the match at 11. Minnesota then trailed 14-15 at the media timeout. The Gophers then found themselves down 15-19, forcing a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers strung together a 3-0 run to get back within two (18-20) and forced a Rutgers timeout. Rutgers then went on a 4-1 run to force a Minnesota timeout at 20-23. A Rutgers set point service error brought Minnesota back within one. Rutgers then took set two 25-23.
Set 3: Set three was a set of runs
The Scarlet Knights started the set on another 3-0 run, Minnesota then went on a 3-0 run of their own to knot the set at 3. Rutgers then went on a 5-1 run to force a Minnesota timeout. The Gophers went on a 4-1 run of their own to get back within two. Minnesota went on a 4-0 run to take a 15-14 lead into the media timeout. Minnesota then forced a Rutgers timeout leading 21-19. The Gophers went on a 3-1 run, capped off by a Carly Gilk kill to take the set 25-22.
Set 4: Minnesota started the set on a 5-1 run, taking a 7-4 lead and forcing a Rutgers timeout. The Gophers went on a 4-1 run to take a 15-9 lead into the timeout. Minnesota then went on a 5-2 run to extend their lead to 21-16. Rutgers then took a timeout as the Gophers led 23-16. The Gophers capped off the set and the match with a 5-1 run capped off with a Minnesota block party.
Players Mentioned
Opposite
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ VolleyballTeam Stats
MINN
RU
Kills
61
62
Errors
13
20
Attempts
150
158
Hitting %
.320
.266
Points
79.0
65.0
Assists
56
60
Aces
7
1
Blocks
11
2
Game Leaders
Kills
20
Aces
2
Blocks
5
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
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