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The Slate
KSU Owl Invitational
Convocation Center; Kennesaw, Ga.
Live Stats - here
Radio - purduesports.com; WSHY 1410 AM
TV (KSU) - ESPN3
Tournament central: here
Friday, Sept. 5:
5 p.m. vs. UNC Asheville
Saturday, Sept. 6:
10 a.m. vs. Elon
7:30 p.m. at Kennesaw State
The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: The No. 7 Boilermakers (3-0) boast their highest ever ranking after moving up a spot from No. 8 this week after a 3-0 start. Purdue returns eight players, including four starters, from that team and adds one redshirt freshman and seven true freshmen. Head coach Dave Shondell is in his 12th season with the team.
Last Time Out: Purdue went 3-0 at the Mortar Board Premier, sweeping USF, No. 14 San Diego and LSU to start the season. The Boilermakers advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in four years after finishing sixth in Big Ten play in 2013.
Statistically Speaking: Junior Annie Drews paced the Boilermaker offense with 4.33 kills per set, while freshman Azariah Stahl (2.67), redshirt sophomore Faye Adelaja (2.56), senior KiKi Jones (2.38) and redshirt freshman Ashley Evans (1.89) followed. Adelaja and Drews led the Boilers at the net with 0.89 blocks per set, while Jones put up 0.88 stuffs per stanza.
Defensively, libero Amanda Neill pulled up 4.22 digs per set, while senior Val Nichol (3.33), Evans (3.11) and redshirt sophomore Kate Workman (1.89) followed. As a team, Purdue hit at a .253 clip and served up 17 aces, including five each by Nichol and Evans.
Outside hitters Val Nichol (2.75), Sam Epenesa (2.36) and Annie Drews (1.80) and middle blockers KiKi Jones (2.11) and Faye Adelaja (1.34) return from the 2013 team. Jones hit at a team-best .380 clip, served up 25 aces and put up 1.21 blocks per set. Defensively, libero Amanda Neill pulled up 1.93 digs per set and served up 32 aces in 2013, while Nichol added 1.79 digs per set. As a team, Purdue hit .241 and served up 146 aces.
Series Information
UNC-Asheville: This is the first meeting between the Boilermakers and the Bulldogs.
Elon: This is the first meeting between the Boilermakers and the Phoenix.
Kennesaw State: This is the first meeting between the Boilermakers and the Owls.
What a Difference a Win Makes...
If the Boilermakers top UNC-Asheville on Friday:
- They will move to 4-0 to start the season, marking the 17th time in 40 years the team has done so and the sixth time in the Shondell era.
- They will improve to 38-12 all-time when playing in the month of August, including a 13-1 mark when playing on Sept. 5.
A Bit about the Bulldogs
At First Glance: The UNC-Asheville Bulldogs (0-3) finished fifth in Big South play in 2013. The Bulldogs return six letterwinners, including four starters, while adding seven newcomers to the mix. UNC-Asheville is coached by Frederico Santos, who is in his fourth year with the team.
Last Time Out: UNCA went 0-3 on opening weekend, falling to USC Upstate (1-3), Troy (0-3) and Clemson (0-3). The Bulldogs posted a 17-14 record and 7-7 finish in Big South play in 2013.
Statistically Speaking: Outside hitters Christine Lakatos and Shelby Erickson led the Bulldogs with 2.60 per set apiece on opening weekend at the Clemson Invitational. Lakatos, who returns after leading Ashleville with 3.43 kills per set in 2013, hit at a .281 clip and also added a team-best four aces and 2.60 digs per set, while Erickson chipped in 2.20 digs per set. Outside hitter Catherine Fischer (1.30), middle blocker Diana Enriquez (1.30), setter Katie Davis (1.20) and middle blocker Madison Vaughn (1.00) also contributed offensively. Davis was an honorable mention All-Big South selection in 2013. Vaughn put up a team-best 0.75 blocks per set, while Enriquez added 0.70 stuffs per set.
Defensively, Lakatos (2.60), Erickson (2.20), libero Bryn Pfieffer (2.00) and setter Amanda Powers (1.60) shared the load. As a team, UNC Asheville hit at a .152 clip and served up 10 aces.
An Education About Elon
At First Glance: The Elon Phoenix (1-2) return 12 letterwinners, including five starters, including five starters from the 2013 team which went 16-17 and advanced to the SoCon tournament for the fourth straight season. Elon is coached by Mary Tendler, who is in her 12th year with the team, which will play its first season as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014.
Last Time Out: Elon went 1-2 at the home at the Phoenix Classic, falling to Maryland (1-3) and Liberty (0-3), but topping San Jose State in four sets. The Phoenix posted a 16-17 record in 2013 and finished 7-9 in Southern Conference play, good for a seventh play tie in league standings.
Statistically Speaking: Outside hitters Sydney Busa (2.82) and Megan Gravley (2.36), middle blocker Ally Karle (2.27) and outside hitter Danielle Smith (2.00) lead the Phoenix offense. Smith also averages 3.36 digs per set, while Busa chips in 1.82 digs per set. Karle, a Big South All-Freshman Team honoree, paces Elon at the net with 1.45 blocks per set, while middle blocker Catherine Head adds 1.18 blocks per stanza. Karle averaged 1.77 kills and 0.90 blocks per set in 2013 while hitting at a .277 clip.
Defensively, Morgan Maner paces the team with 4.00 digs per set. Outside hitter Chanelle Smith (3.55), Danielle Smith (3.36) and setter Ana Nicksic (2.00) also average more than two digs per set. As a team, Elon is hitting .110 and has served up eight aces.
An Overview of the Owls
At First Glance: The Kennesaw State Owls (3-1) play host to the KSU Owl Invitational this weekend after sweeping Chattanooga on the road on Tuesday. The Owls posted a 13-17 record in 2013 and return eight letterwinners, including four starters, from that team. KSU is coached by former Purdue volunteer assistant coach Keith Schunzel, who is in his second year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Owls posted a 2-1 record at the Belmont Invitational in Nashville, Tenn., last weekend, topping Belmont and Evansville in four sets, and falling to Youngstown State via sweep. The team rebounded with a sweep of Chattanooga on Tuesday. KSU went 13-17 in 2013, including a sixth-place finish in Atlantic Sun play.
Statistically Speaking: Reigning Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year outside hitter Kelly Marcinek, who paced the team with 3.53 kills per set in 2013, leads the Owls with 3.21 kills per set. Outside hitter Fanise Cannon (2.21), middle blocker Cierra Royster (1.88) and middle blocker Megan McGuinness (1.71) round out the offensive attack. Cannon also contributes 2.86 digs per set, while Marcinek chips in 1.79 digs per set. McGuinness puts up a team-best 0.86 blocks per set.
Defensively, libero Katarina Morton paces the team with 4.14 digs per set. Cannon (2.86), outside hitter Toure Hopkins (2.64), and outside hitter Anaiah Boyer (2.31) also aid the team defensively. As a team, KSU is hitting .091, and has served up 20 aces.
Nichol Named Big Ten Setter of the Week
Senior setter Val Nichol has been named Big Ten Setter of the Week after leading the No. 8 Boilermaker volleyball team to a 3-0 record and the Mortar Board Premier title on opening weekend. The honor is the first for the All-American since she garnered Big Ten Player of the Week accolades on Oct. 21, 2013.
Nichol led the Purdue offense to a .253 hitting percentage and four of her hitters to efforts of .375 or better on the weekend. The senior dished out 10.44 assists per set, while also managing 3.33 digs and 1.33 kills while hitting at a .524 clip and serving up a team-best five aces en route to all-tournament team honors.
Poll Position
The Boilermakers moved up a spot to No. 7 in this week's AVCA Coaches' Poll after beginning the 2014 season as the preseason No. 8. The No. 8 preseason ranking was the highest in program history, ahead of the No. 9 listing to start the 2012 season. The No. 7 ranking matches the highest in program lore, duplicating the team's poll position on Nov. 14, 1983, and on Aug. 27, 2012.