MThe Minnesota volleyball team scored the first 10 points and the last seven points of the match in a four-game victory over Denver, 15-3,15-3, 16-18, 15-5, Saturday afternoon at the Sports Pavilion. Minnesota improves to 8-3 for the season and 2-0 in the Diet Coke Classic, while Denver falls to 5-4 and 1-1 in the tournament.

Nicole Branagh delivered 19 kills for the Gophers, including eight in the final game. Branagh increased her career kill total to 1,253 and moved into sixth place on Minnesota's all-time list. Linda Shudlick added 13 kills and hit .611 in the match, while Yvonne Wichert and Lisa Aschenbrenner each had 11 kills. The Gophers hit .290 in the match to Denver's .120, and had a season-high 12 service aces.

The Gophers will host Navy in the final round of the Diet Coke Classic late Saturday night at the Sports Pavilion. The Gophers open Big Ten play against 13th-ranked Wisconsin on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Sports Pavilion.