It had been seven years since the Gophers volleyball team defeated Texas.

That match in Austin lasted just four sets—and was no surprise. At the time, the Gophers were ranked No. 1 in the nation and opened the 2017 season with 12 straight wins.

Since then, Texas and Stanford have been the two most dominant teams in the sport, winning four of the last six NCAA women’s titles. Stanford’s last title came in a memorable year for the Gophers, with their last Final Four appearance in 2019.

This was also the last time Minnesota’s team defeated the best team in the nation five years ago when they upset the Cardinals.

After putting pressure on No. 5 Stanford in five sets to the finish in Sunday’s opening match, the No. 18 Gophers picked up their first win of the season by surprising the country with a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 1 Texas on Monday night to close the volleyball showcase at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. The Gophers won 22-25, 25-19, 25-20, 13-25 and 15-7.

After being ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten preseason poll, second-year Gophers coach Keegan Cook took over a team with a 17-13 record from last season and ended two-time defending NCAA champion Texas’ 11-game winning streak in his second game. Before a Sept. 10 home game against St. Thomas, the Gophers’ busy schedule continues Friday and Saturday against Baylor and TCU in Waco.

“I think I’m at a loss for words,” veteran setter Melani Shaffmaster said after the game on FS1. “We’re not the team we were last year. We’re not the team we were in the past. We’ve got a really good group of guys… it’s just crazy. It took the whole team to get this done.”

Fittingly, Wisconsin junior outside hitter Mckenna Wucherer won the fifth set by hitting her 12th kill before being surrounded by her teammates celebrating the big win in her home state.