Nov. 5, 2005
MADISON, Wis. - The No. 15 Purdue volleyball team used a balanced offensive attack and a stellar defensive performance to knock off No. 10 Wisconsin 3-1 Saturday night. The Boilermakers topped the Badgers in Madison for the first time since 1992 and beat their second Top 10 opponent of the season with the 30-23, 26-30, 30-28, 30-23 victory. The two Top 10 victories were the first for Purdue since 1985 when the Boilermakers defeated No. 9 Texas and No. 9 Illinois.
"This is a huge win," head coach Dave Shondell said. "This is one tough place to play and we were taking on the 10th ranked team in the country who has had our number for the last several years. Coming on the heels of last night's loss to Northwestern, our players could have second guessed themselves, but we came in and battled. I am just thrilled with the way we played against one of the best blocking teams in America."
Purdue jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the match, using kills by freshman Stephanie Lynch (New Albany, Ind.) and sophomore Lizzie Jacques (Winfield, Ill.) and a block by senior Renata Dargan to take the advantage. Wisconsin answered with a 6-0 run to turn the deficit into a 7-5 lead. Kills by freshman Danita Merlau (New Palestine, Ind.), Jacques and freshman Kelli Miller (Muncie, Ind.) helped the Boilermakers regain the lead at 8-7. The teams then tied six times, last at 13-13, before Purdue managed three straight points to go up 16-13. The Boilermakers increased their lead to five at 20-15 after a solo block by Sam Mader (Algonquin, Ill.) and a kill by Lynch. The point margin stood at seven moments later as a kill by Merlau gave Purdue a 25-18 advantage. An ace by Dargan made it 28-20, but Wisconsin managed three straight points to prolong the game. A Badger service error gave the Boilermakers their first chance at the game, and a kill by Miller sealed the deal at 30-23. Seven different Purdue players posted kills in the stanza, led by Merlau's four, while the Boilermakers outhit the Badgers .241 to .148.
Game 2, which featured 12 ties and nine lead changes, was a back-and-forth battle from the get-go. After a tie at three, Wisconsin used a pair of kills and a Purdue miscue to take a 6-3 lead, but the Boilermakers answered with four straight points, including a solo block by Merlau, to go up 7-6. The teams tied at 7-7, sparking a string of seven ties, last at 13-13. Purdue took a three-point lead after kills by Lynch, Merlau and Dargan, but Wisconsin stuck around, eventually using a 4-0 run to turn an 18-16 Boilermaker lead into a 20-18 advantage of its own. Playing from behind, the Boilermakers managed to turn a 25-22 deficit into a tie at 26 after back-to-back kills by Merlau, but could not overcome the Badger attack. Wisconsin ended the game at 30-26 with a pair of blocks followed by a pair of kills by Maria Carlini. Lynch and Merlau each tallied five kills in the second stanza.
The Boilermakers took a 5-2 lead to begin the third game. Wisconsin cut the lead to one at 6-5, then took an 8-7 lead of its own moments later. A series of ties followed, before Purdue managed points on a kill and an ace by Jacques to make it 15-13. The Badgers tied the score at 16, but a solo block by Lynch and an ace by Miler made it 19-17 Boilermakers. Wisconsin posted six of the next seven points leading to a 23-20 score. A block by Jacques and Merlau made it a one-point game at 23-22, but it was a Badger hitting error that knotted the score at 25-25. A Merlau kill tied the score at 26, then two UW miscues pushed the score to 28-26 Boilermakers. Wisconsin answered with two points of its own to make it 28-28, but a pair of kill by Lynch gave Purdue a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Purdue went up 3-1 to start the fourth game, then raised its advantage to four at 7-3 after kills by Merlau and Mader. Wisconsin pulled within two at 8-6, but Purdue maintained control expanding the lead to five at 13-8. The Badgers scored seven of the next nine to tie the score at 15-15. After a tie at 16, the Boilermakers put together a 5-0 run to go up 21-16. Lynch posted two kills and a solo block in the run, while Miller and Mader also added putdowns. After a one-point pause, the Purdue barrage continued with a pair of kills by Miller and a UW miscue taking the score to 24-17. Dargan posted a pair of kills as the teams traded points over the next eight serves leading to a 28-21 score. Wisconsin held the Boilermakers off momentarily with a kill by Aubrey Meierotto, but Mader answered to give Purdue its first shot at the match at 29-22. Another Meierotto kill kept Wisconsin alive, but Miller put the final nail in the coffin at 30-23.
Merlau led Purdue with 17 kills, followed by Lynch and Mader, who each tallied 16. Lynch also added a team-best eight blocks. Miller chalked up a career-best 26 digs, while sophomore Anne Mastandrea (Downers Grove, Ill.) pulled up 23 and junior Brittany Dildine (West Lafayette, Ind.) added 15.
The Boilermakers (21-4, 10-4 Big Ten) return to action on Friday when they take on No. 3 Penn State in the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility.