#13 Creighton Falls to #14 Minnesota at State Farm Volleyball Showcase

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- No. 14 Minnesota served 10 aces in a 3-0 win over No. 13 Creighton on Saturday evening at the 2026 State Farm Volleyball Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Both teams are now 1-1. Scores of the match in favor of the Golden Gophers were 25-18, 25-23, 25-12.

Ayden Ames led Creighton with eight kills and hit .333, Nora Wurtz served three aces, and Saige Damrow owned nine digs, four assists and a rare kill. The Bluejays hit .068 and had 28 kills, 34 digs, six aces and four blocks in the match.

Mckenna Wucherer led all players with 10 kills and Stella Swenson finished with 29 assists and four service aces. Minnesota had 35 kills, 39 digs and eight blocks while hitting .298.

Creighton scored the first four points of the match before a quick timeout from the Golden Gophers settled things down. Minnesota battled back to take its first lead at 8-7, and used an 8-2 surge to move in front 21-16. Stella Swenson authored an ace to close out the first set for Minnesota. Ames and Trinity Shadd-Ceres both had three kills in the opening set for CU, but nine attack errors as a team were too much to overcome.

The second set featured eight ties, but Creighton never led. Two more aces from Swenson keyed a 4-0 serving run to move the Golden Gophers in front at 12-8. Down 21-17 late, Sydney Breissinger served two aces to pull Creighton even at 21-all, but Minnesota scored four of the next six points to take the set by the slimmest of margins. Wucherer had five kills and four digs. Freshman Rayna Christianson dished five of CU's 10 assists in the frame.

Creighton led 4-2 early in the third set before Zeynep Palabiyik served a 6-0 run to give Minnesota the lead for good. The Golden Gophers hit .647 in the third frame with 11 kills in 17 errorless swings.

Creighton closes out play at the State Farm Volleyball Showcase on Sunday at Noon with a match against No. 20 USC (1-0). The Women of Troy swept No. 12 Arizona State in the first match of the State Farm Volleyball Showcase on Saturday.