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Rutgers Volleyball’s Bolen Reaches Milestone in Loss to #19 Minnesota
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Rutgers volleyball sophomore Lily Bolen achieved a notable milestone on Sunday, recording her 1,000th season assist, despite a 25-19, 25-21, 25-16 defeat against the #19-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers at Jersey Mike’s arena.The Scarlet Knights faced their seventh nationally ranked opponent of the season in the contest.
Junior Zora Hardison spearheaded the Rutgers attack with nine kills, maintaining a .312 hitting percentage. Senior Tara Garvey contributed eight kills, while sophomores Aspen Maxwell and Lexi Visintine each added seven to the tally.
Did you know?-Lily Bolen is the fourth Scarlet Knight in the rally era to reach 1,000 assists in a single season.
Bolen nearly secured a double-double, finishing with 27 assists and a team-high nine digs. Her achievement marks her as the fourth Scarlet Knight in the rally era to reach 1,000 assists in a single season, currently ranking fourth on the program’s rally-era season leaders list with 1,007. Bolen also elevated her career assist total to 1,290, placing her fourth on the rally-era career leaders list. Maxwell and freshman Imani Howell each recorded a team-leading three blocks.
Competitive First Set Sees Minnesota Pull Ahead
The opening set was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams demonstrating strong offensive capabilities.Rutgers posted a.323 hitting clip, but Minnesota proved more efficient with a.520 clip and only two attack errors. The score was tied seven times early on, with Rutgers staying within one point on multiple occasions. A series of points, including a kill and an ace from Maxwell, and a point from Hardison, brought the Scarlet Knights within striking distance at 13-12. However, Minnesota responded with a 6-2 run to close out the set 25-19.
rutgers Fights Back in second Set Despite Minnesota Surge
Rutgers started the second set strongly, establishing a 5-1 lead with contributions from six different players. Minnesota quickly countered, tying the score at 8-8, but a solo block by Bolen regained the lead for Rutgers. A powerful swing from Natalie Robinson extended the Scarlet Knights’ advantage to 10-8. However, the golden Gophers then embarked on an 8-1 run, seizing control of the set.Despite trailing by as manny as six points, Rutgers mounted a late comeback, fueled by kills from Visintine and an ace from Bolen, narrowing the gap to 22-20 and prompting a Minnesota timeout. Ultimately,Minnesota prevailed 25-21.
Minnesota Dominates Third Set After early Rutgers Lead
The Scarlet knights initially held a 9-6 advantage in the third set, but minnesota responded with a decisive 6-0 run, taking a 12-9 lead. After Minnesota extended their lead to 14-11, Rutgers rallied with four consecutive points, reclaiming the lead with a swing from Maxwell, making it 15-14. Visintine’s seventh kill of the afternoon tied the score at 16-16, but Minnesota then closed out the match with a dominant 9-0 run, securing a 25-16 victory.
Pro tip:-Fans can find ticket information for the upcoming matches against Oregon and Washington at here.
Rutgers volleyball will conclude the season next week with matches against Oregon and Washington. The Scarlet Knights will host the Oregon Ducks on Wednesday, November 26 at 4 p.m. at Jersey Mike’s Arena. tickets are available for purchase here. RU will then face the Washington Huskies on Friday, November 28 at 1 p.m.at the college Avenue Gym on Senior Day, where admission is free.
Fans can follow Rutgers women’s volleyball on Facebook,X, and Instagram.
