Gophers volleyball wins debut under new coach Keegan Cook, beating TCU

There's nothing like a little test of faith to break in a new relationship.

Keegan Cook got his early in the first match of his career as Gophers volleyball coach after TCU stole the first set at Maturi Pavilion on Friday night, refusing to be pushed around by a hyped crowd and rebuilt Minnesota roster.

Faith tested, faith rewarded.

The No. 7 Gophers steadied themselves to win their season opener, 20-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-23.

Communication was sloppy early, play a little lackadaisical. It would have been an easy time for the coaching staff to try to take control. Cook resisted that urge.

"These are highly skilled, intelligent young women," he said. "They're out there, not you."

A collective settling was required, and a showcase of defensive intensity spread throughout the team.

The Horned Frogs hit .314 in that first set, finding gaps and taking advantage of confusion in the Gophers back row. How did Minnesota respond?

TCU hit minus .043 in the second set, .031 in the third and .184 in the fourth.

"They're better defensively than I maybe anticipated," Cook said about his team.

It was a display of new and familiar talent.

Kylie Murr, playing her first match after transferring from Ohio State, had 27 digs and 13 receptions. Phoebe Awoleye, the senior transfer from Loyola Marymount, started at middle blocker and was at the center of a dominant second set — including a block after a long rally that set the Pavilion on fire.

"The place went electric. I had chills all over my body," Murr said. "I knew from that moment we were winning this game."

It was the same story on offense.

Mckenna Wucherer backed up an offseason of belief with a team-high 16 kills and 17 points. Lydia Grote, the Cal transfer, had the kind of debut you hope for with 11 kills. Taylor Landfair, if not her usual effective self, forced the defense time and again to adjust — she had 13 kills on a team-high 45 attempts. Melani Shaffmaster, wearing a bulky knee brace, got into everything with 36 assists, four kills and 13 digs.

"You can see the vision of it," Cook said. "You can take a different 10-minute segment of the match, and different players would stand out in a big way. But can we be good over and over, over time, is the new challenge."

And what of Cook's first game on the Pavilion sidelines? He paced with his hands behind his back as if in a labyrinth, tucked his head with a shake at service errors, gently high-stepped behind Murr as she chased loose balls and didn't mind raising his eyebrows for an extended glance at lead referee Christina Fiebich after the Gophers won three consecutive challenges.

"I want my team to know that I'm in it with them," Cook said, "and that I'm fighting with every tool I have."

The focus may have been on the Gophers and TCU, but it was the second match of the day in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge at the Pavilion.

No. 2 Wisconsin showed why it is, once again, a favorite to win the conference after the team destroyed No. 15 Baylor, 25-20, 25-14, 20-25, 25-17.

Cook and his staff watched the first two sets of that match — ostensibly scouting Baylor, their opponent Saturday night. But they also got a glimpse at the four-time defending Big Ten champs. They'll play just once, in Madison in October.

Not that the Gophers are looking that far ahead. Like in any good relationship, it's smart to take things a day, or game, at a time.