The NCAA Women’s Volleyball tournament is heading towards the final stage. However, the thrill is yet to end, it seems. Along similar lines, spectators recently witnessed an epic encounter between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Purdue Boilermakers. Both teams displayed formidable performances, and while Minnesota pushed hard for the win, it was ultimately Purdue that prevailed.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers Women’s Volleyball Team tried to take things to a fifth set but badly failed to do so. A social media post unveiled the result of the match, as the Boilermakers claimed the 16th win in their staunch NCAA season.

Purdue shakes away first set wobble

The 10th November 2023 match between the Purdue Boilermakers and Minnesota Golden Gophers started with Minnesota taking the first set. The flashy start didn’t even allow Purdue to touch the 20-point mark. However, the Boilermakers retaliated to the first set loss hard and won three consecutive sets. Purdue Volleyball flaunted the victory of its team against Minnesota via a tweet on its official X account. The tweet carried the caption, “A storm that doesn’t break.” The unbreaking storm of the Boilermakers nullified all efforts of Minnesota as the match progressed.

This was the second major loss the Minnesota Golden Gophers registered against the Purdue Boilermakers this season. Despite posting almost identical stats on the scoreboard, Minnesota failed to convert their abilities into set victories. Moreover, it seemed as if Minnesota’s offensive power kept dwindling with each set.

The failing offense of the Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Minnesota Golden Gophers is one team that is sandwiched between the bottom feeders and the powerhouses. So far, the team has won 12 matches, while it registered its 11th loss against Purdue. While the team does have match-winning potential, it failed to maintain its momentum as the game progressed. Especially in the offensive department.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers Women’s Volleyball Team registered just 45 kills in the match, compared to Purdue’s 60 kills. While the players of Minnesota kicked off the first set with a hit rate of 0.364, their next sets saw this number fall down to 0.114, 0.050, and finally 0.021. 

ALSO READ – Will the Nebraska Huskers’ Road Woes Prevent Them From Achieving a Perfect Season?

This is very surprising since the women of Minnesota scored five aces against Purdue while blocking 11 of their shots as well. Thus, while Minnesota’s women’s volleyball program has what it takes to start its raid, it needs enough fortitude and endurance to keep the attack going. Will Minnesota be able to turn the tide in its final games and win its next matches?

WATCH STORY – A Women’s Volleyball Game in Nebraska Gives Both WWE & AEW a Harsh Reality Check