The No. 4 University of Minnesota volleyball program opened the 2018 campaign with a 3-0 win over Florida State, 25-17, 25-21, 25-21.

Set 1: Minnesota hit .361 in the season-opening set to Florida State’s .111 to take a 25-17 first-set win. Despite Florida State jumping out to a 3-1 lead, Minnesota tied up the set at 4-4 after a solo block from Seliger-Swenson. Minnesota took a 10-7 lead off a kill from Samedy and an 11-7 lead from Martin as FSU called a timeout. Hart pushed the Gopher lead to 15-10 with a kill, while Pittman added a kill for a 17-12 lead. A back corner cross court shot by Samedy gave the Gophers a 20-14 lead, while Morgan won the joust at the net for a 22-15 lead. Minnesota closed out the set with a kill from Hart at 25-17.

Set 2: The Gophers used a 4-1 run late in the second to take the set, 25-21. Minnesota jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Florida State battled back and tied the set at 8-8. The two teams traded points through 14-12 on back-to-back kills from Pittman and Samedy, which forced FSU to call a timeout. Pittman pushed the lead to 17-14 off a kill, but Florida State battled back again and tied up the set at 18-18. Minnesota, however, went on a 4-1 run for a 22-19 lead as FSU called a timeout. Out of the break, the Gophers finished off the set with a 3-2 run and to go up, 2-0. 

Set 3: Minnesota opened the third set with a 6-2 run as McGraw had her second ace of the match. Pittman pushed the score to 9-4 off a kill. Minnesota went on a 7-0 run, six on Seliger-Swenson’s serve rotation to cushion the lead to 17-6. Back-to-back aces by Seliger-Swenson pushed the set to 13-6, while a Samedy/Morgan block put the set at a 14-6 Gopher advantage, which caused FSU to call a timeout. Minnesota, however, continued the pressure and took a 19-11 lead off a Samedy kill. FSU battled back and cut Minnesota’s lead to 23-19 as it went on a on a 6-0 run, which cause Minnesota to use it’s second timeout. The Gophers used the timeout and closed out the match with two Martin kills for a 3-0 win.