Freshman middle blocker Carter Booth, at a practice with head coach Hugh McCutcheon last March, had seven blocks in a 3-0 loss to Purdue on Friday. (Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Freshman Eva Hudson had a match-high 21 kills and hit .372 as No. 11 Purdue swept the No. 8 Gophers 25-18, 25-23, 32-30 on Friday night in a Big Ten volleyball opener in West Lafayette, Ind.

Taylor Landfair had 17 kills and Mckenna Wucherer 13 for the Gophers (5-4). Carter Booth had seven blocks.

Serving was a big factor in the first set. The Boilermakers (10-1) had three aces, Minnesota three service errors. The Gophers had 12 attack errors in losing the close second set. The third set was back and forth, especially as it went on and on. Minnesota overcame four match points and had three set points before Purdue won.

The Gophers hit .198 and had 42 kills; Purdue hit .248 with 51 kills.

U men, women runners finish ninth in Griak

The Gophers men's and women's cross country teams both finished ninth overall at the 36th annual Roy Griak Invitational on Friday at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights. Minnesota's top individual finishers was true freshman Ali Weimer, 26th (21 minutes, 32.6 seconds, 6K) in the women's Division I race, and redshirt freshman Emmet Anderson, 40th (25:04.3, 8k) in the men's.

Graduate student Matthew Wilkinson, who has only outdoor track eligibility remaining for the Gophers, ran unattached and placed fourth (24:18.4).

Team champions were the Wisconsin men and the Utah women. Michigan State's Aden Smith won the individual men's title (24:13.40), Utah's Emily Venters the women's (20:33.20).

MNUFC2 player honored

MNUFC2 midfielder Aziel Jackson, 20, was named to the league's Best XI roster that honors the best 11 players at each position. He led the league scoring chances created with 70 and led the Loons' reserve team in games played (23) and started 21) as well as goals scored with 10 and assisted provided with seven.

"Just means all the work that's been put in this year has resulted in this," he said. "I'm really grateful."

Coach Cam Knowles called him into office with the news Friday morning. "I didn't know what it was," said Jackson, whom the Loons obtained his homegrown rights from New York Red Bulls in April 2021. "I was pretty surprised."

JERRY ZGODA

Etc.

The Gophers women's golf team was 10th after shooting a 14-over 302 on the first day of the Lady Paladin Invitational in Greensville, S.C. Senior Grace Curran of Minnesota was tied for eighth with a 1-under 71.

Jessica Scott, the director of operations for the Gophers women's hockey team since 2019, was promoted to assistant coach. ... The No. 2 Gophers will play the University of Manitoba at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ridder Arena in an exhibition game. Admission is free.