University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, September 2
Madison, WI
5:00 PM
University of Minnesota
2-2,0-0Big Ten
3
vs
1
Auburn
3-1,0-0SEC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | 12 | 25 | 16 | 24 | 1 |
| Minnesota | 25 | 21 | 25 | 26 | 3 |
Players Mentioned
Outside
/ Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Libero/DS
/ Volleyball
Setter
/ Volleyball
Outside
/ VolleyballTeam Stats
AU
MINN
Kills
48
55
Errors
20
17
Attempts
145
142
Hitting %
.193
.268
Points
58.0
74.0
Assists
45
50
Aces
2
10
Blocks
8
9
Game Leaders
Kills
21
Aces
4
Blocks
2
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
2
Blocks
5
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Wucherer's 21 Kills Surges Gophers Past Tigers
9/2/2026 7:29:00 PM | Volleyball
Mckenna Wucherer tied a career-high 21 kills to lead the No. 11 University of Minnesota volleyball team to a 3-1 win (25-12, 21-25, 25-16, 26-24) over Auburn, tonight in Madison, Wis. With the win, the Golden Gophers improve to 2-2 this season and close out the 2026 Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week. Minnesota went 1-1 in the tournament, as it dropped a four-setter last night to No. 17 Florida.
For the second straight night, Wucherer tied a career-high 21 kills, which was also a match high. She hit .312 for the match when she had 21 kills in 51 swings. Wucherer also produced a career-high four aces in the win, including two in the fourth and final set. Wucherer has now had 21 kills in three career matches, dating back to 2023. During the two games of the Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge, Wucherer had 42 kills, averaged 5.25 kills per set and hit .350. She also had six aces, 20 digs and five blocks.
Kelly Kinney provided 12 kills, while Elena Hoecke added eight. Hoecke also led the team with five blocks. Makenna Crosson started in her first collegiate match and had seven kills. Stella Swenson had a season-best 38 assists. Zeynep Palabiyik had 15 digs. Madi Kraft also saw her first collegiate action and provided an ace and a dig.
As a team, Minnesota hit .268 to Auburn's .193. The Gophers produced 10 aces in the match. Minnesota held a narrow 9-8 advantage in blocks and a 64-60 lead in digs.
Up Next:
Minnesota hosts the Diet Coke Classic, Sept. 11 & 13 at Maturi Pavilion. The Golden Gophers host the Miami Hurricanes on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m., and will be streamed on B1G +. The Gophers will host St. Thomas on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m., also at Maturi Pavilion. Miami and St. Thomas will play a match at St. Thomas on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Set 1: The Gophers used a 9-0 run to dominate the first set, 25-12. Minnesota took a 12-9 lead off a Lucie Blažková kill. Kraft came in to serve for the Gophers and during her serve rotation, the Gophers strung together eight-straight points. Hoecke and Wucherer added a block for the 16-9 point, while Crosson added a 10-point lead off a kill. The Gophers closed out the set with an ace and then a kill by Wucherer to go up, 1-0.
Set 2: Auburn took an early 5-3 lead and held onto the lead through the remainder of the set for a 25-21 win. The Tigers built a 12-6 lead as Minnesota called a timeout, but Auburn took an 18-12 lead. The Gophers chipped away and put the deficit to three at 17-20 off a Wucherer kill. Minnesota cut the Auburn lead to two at 20-22 off a Kinney kill, which forced Auburn to call a timeout. However, the Tigers finished off the set for a 3-1 run and tied the match, 1-1.
Set 3: Minnesota had a 7-2 lead as Auburn burned its second timeout of the early set. The Gophers added to their lead off a Wucherer kill to put the score at 10-2. The Gophers pushed the score to 15-8 off a Kinney kill and an 11-point lead, 20-9, off a Crosson kill. Auburn cut the Gopher lead to 23-15, but Minnesota earned set point off an Auburn error and a kill by Hoecke for a 2-1 lead.
Set 4: In a tight set, neither Minnesota nor Auburn held a lead larger than a two-point lead midway through the set. Auburn took a three-point lead at 17-14. However, Blazkova had a kill and followed with a block, and she and Crosson cut the Tiger lead to one at 17-18. Hoecke added a kill for a 20-20 tie. Wucherer added a kill to tie the set at 21-21 and followed with back-to-back aces for a 23-21 lead. The Tigers battled back and tied the set at 23. The two teams tied again at 24 before Kinney added a kill and an Auburn attack error solidified the Gopher set and match win.
For the second straight night, Wucherer tied a career-high 21 kills, which was also a match high. She hit .312 for the match when she had 21 kills in 51 swings. Wucherer also produced a career-high four aces in the win, including two in the fourth and final set. Wucherer has now had 21 kills in three career matches, dating back to 2023. During the two games of the Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge, Wucherer had 42 kills, averaged 5.25 kills per set and hit .350. She also had six aces, 20 digs and five blocks.
Kelly Kinney provided 12 kills, while Elena Hoecke added eight. Hoecke also led the team with five blocks. Makenna Crosson started in her first collegiate match and had seven kills. Stella Swenson had a season-best 38 assists. Zeynep Palabiyik had 15 digs. Madi Kraft also saw her first collegiate action and provided an ace and a dig.
As a team, Minnesota hit .268 to Auburn's .193. The Gophers produced 10 aces in the match. Minnesota held a narrow 9-8 advantage in blocks and a 64-60 lead in digs.
Up Next:
Minnesota hosts the Diet Coke Classic, Sept. 11 & 13 at Maturi Pavilion. The Golden Gophers host the Miami Hurricanes on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m., and will be streamed on B1G +. The Gophers will host St. Thomas on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m., also at Maturi Pavilion. Miami and St. Thomas will play a match at St. Thomas on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Set 1: The Gophers used a 9-0 run to dominate the first set, 25-12. Minnesota took a 12-9 lead off a Lucie Blažková kill. Kraft came in to serve for the Gophers and during her serve rotation, the Gophers strung together eight-straight points. Hoecke and Wucherer added a block for the 16-9 point, while Crosson added a 10-point lead off a kill. The Gophers closed out the set with an ace and then a kill by Wucherer to go up, 1-0.
Set 2: Auburn took an early 5-3 lead and held onto the lead through the remainder of the set for a 25-21 win. The Tigers built a 12-6 lead as Minnesota called a timeout, but Auburn took an 18-12 lead. The Gophers chipped away and put the deficit to three at 17-20 off a Wucherer kill. Minnesota cut the Auburn lead to two at 20-22 off a Kinney kill, which forced Auburn to call a timeout. However, the Tigers finished off the set for a 3-1 run and tied the match, 1-1.
Set 3: Minnesota had a 7-2 lead as Auburn burned its second timeout of the early set. The Gophers added to their lead off a Wucherer kill to put the score at 10-2. The Gophers pushed the score to 15-8 off a Kinney kill and an 11-point lead, 20-9, off a Crosson kill. Auburn cut the Gopher lead to 23-15, but Minnesota earned set point off an Auburn error and a kill by Hoecke for a 2-1 lead.
Set 4: In a tight set, neither Minnesota nor Auburn held a lead larger than a two-point lead midway through the set. Auburn took a three-point lead at 17-14. However, Blazkova had a kill and followed with a block, and she and Crosson cut the Tiger lead to one at 17-18. Hoecke added a kill for a 20-20 tie. Wucherer added a kill to tie the set at 21-21 and followed with back-to-back aces for a 23-21 lead. The Tigers battled back and tied the set at 23. The two teams tied again at 24 before Kinney added a kill and an Auburn attack error solidified the Gopher set and match win.
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