![Melani Shaffmaster (5) of Minnesota serves during the first set Tuesday, August 29, 2023, Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minn. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ • carlos.gonzalez@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/XIKWXR5LF37H3ARRI5I32DEXBY.jpg?&w=1080)
The Gophers were playing uninspired, lackluster volleyball against Creighton on Saturday at Maturi Pavilion when true worry snapped everything into sharp relief.
Trailing 6-5 in the fourth set, Gophers All-Big Ten first team setter Melani Shaffmaster landed awkwardly, hollered and laid down under the net in the middle of the point.
As a trainer ran onto the court and kneeled over her, the Pavilion went silent as Shaffmaster wiped tears.
There were roars when she returned to the floor midway through the fifth set. But — in a feeling that has become common early in this searching season — those roars were silenced.
No. 14 Creighton defeated the No. 9 Gophers 25-15, 16-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-8 as Minnesota closed out a grueling nonconference schedule with concerns about Shaffmaster's knee and worry over the cohesion of the roster.
Keegan Cook sat in the whiplash of the match and the first-year Gophers coach parsed it afterwards, focusing on the health and leadership of Shaffmaster.
"Certainly a scary moment, but nice to see her come back out in the fourth and in the fifth she said, 'Yeah I'm ready,' so we put her in," Cook said. "Melani is a lot of a lot — lot of character — not surprised to see that."
The senior has been wearing a bulky knee brace, something she attributes to an old high school injury flaring up. It had limited her movement but hadn't kept her from playing every set or setting the tone for a team searching for consistency under a new coaching staff.
