The Gophers volleyball team lost to Illinois 25-22, 32-30 and 25-19 in a Big Ten match Wednesday in Champaign, Ill.
Sophomore Paige Tapp had a career-high 13 kills for the No. 18 Gophers (11-3, 1-2 conference). Teammate Daly Santana had 11 kills and 10 digs while Tapp's sister, Hannah, had eight blocks.
The Gophers hit .165, Illinois .227. No. 16 Illini (11-3, 3-0) took leads of 7-3 and 16-11 in the third set.
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• Dave Nordeen defeated two-time defending champion Don Berry 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota PGA Senior Match Play Championship at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury. In other matches, Thomas Vizina beat Brad Schmierer 3 and 1, Steve Whillock beat Doug Hoffmann 4 and 3, and David Richardson beat Jeff Otto 3 and 2.
•Tennis player Jeremy Lynn and pole vaulter Katie Murgic were named the first winners of the Most Valuable Gophers Award for the month of September. Criteria for the award are leadership, professional development and commitment to service. Lynn had the most hours as a volunteer last month among male athletes at the U, primarily working on the HopeDay Festival. Murgic volunteered mostly at the University of Minnesota's Children's Hospital.
• Bethel named Penny Foore its softball coach. Foore, an assistant at Appalachian State the past two seasons, played college softball at Concordia (St. Paul), and later coached at Bloomington Jefferson for six seasons.
• University of St. Thomas senior Alex Kapraun was named the MIAC's Athlete of the Week in men's golf after winning the 54-hole Twin Cities Classic last weekend with a 1-over 217.
• InnerCity Tennis received a $25,000 grant from the U.S. Tennis Association. The grant will be used to resurface the tennis courts at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in south Minneapolis.
