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The Slate
Big Ten Week 5 Welsh-Ryan Arena - Evanston, Ill. ~ Huff Hall - Champaign, Ill.
Friday, Oct. 24: 8 p.m. vs. Northwestern
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Saturday, Oct. 18: 6 p.m. vs. Illinois
TV: Big Ten Network
PxP - Mike Wolf; Color - Liz Tortorello-Nelson
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The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: The No. 13 Boilermakers (17-3, 7-1 Big Ten) hit the road for a weekend in Illinois, facing Northwestern and No. 10 Illinois. Purdue returns eight players, including four starters, from its 2013 Elite Eight team, which posted a 23-12 record and finished sixth in the Big Ten, and adds one redshirt freshman and seven true freshmen. Head coach Dave Shondell is in his 12th season with the team.
Last Time Out: The Boilermakers sit atop the league standings at 7-1 after splitting weekend home matches with No. 7 Penn State and No. 22 Ohio State. Purdue lost to the Nittany Lions in five sets, but rebounded with a five-set win over the Buckeyes.
Statistically Speaking: Junior Annie Drews paces the Boilermaker offense with 4.21 kills per set, while junior Sam Epenesa (2.35), redshirt sophomore Faye Adelaja (2.18), senior KiKi Jones (1.91) and freshman Azariah Stahl (1.84) follow. Jones leads the Boilers at the net with 1.08 blocks per set, while freshman Danielle Cuttino, Adelaja and senior setter Val Nichol have put up 0.94, 0.84 and 0.77 stuffs per stanza.
Defensively, libero Amanda Neill has pulled up 3.61 digs per set, while redshirt freshman Ashley Evans (2.34), Nichol (2.27) and redshirt sophomore Kate Workman (1.81) follow. As a team, Purdue has hit at a .293 clip and served up 90 aces, including 20 by Nichol, 16 by Evans, 15 by freshman Lydia Dimke, 12 by Neill, 11 by Drews and 10 by Workman
Series Information
Northwestern (Purdue leads the series 49-27): Purdue took the first three meetings in the series which began on Oct. 28, 1977. The Wildcats answered with three of the next four, but the Boilermakers won seven straight from 1981 to 1983. The teams split the next eight meetings, before Purdue kicked off a string of 21 wins in 28 tries from 1987 to 2000. Northwestern won eight of the next 10, including five straight, but Purdue took six of the next seven meetings, sweeping the season series in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Northwestern won the next three meetings, but Purdue countered with five in a row. The Wildcats, however, swept the 2013 season.
Illinois (Illinois leads the series 42-38): Illinois won the first match in the series, which began on Oct. 25, 1975 in Champaign. Purdue countered with four of the next six before kicking off a seven-match win streak dating from Sept. 28, 1979 to Oct. 26, 1981. An Illini win stopped the streak, but Purdue responded with five more victories. Illinois won 29 of the next 38 contests from 1985 to 2003. The Boilermakers won six of the next seven including season sweeps in 2004 and 2006. Illinois took six in a row, but Purdue stopped the streak with four-set win on Nov. 27, 2010. The teams split the 2011 series with each winning on its home court. Purdue won both 2012 meetings in five sets and took two of the three 2013 contests, including the Sweet 16 match-up at Assembly Hall.
What a Difference a Win Makes...
If the Boilermakers top Norhtwestern on Friday:
- They will move to 18-3 to start the season, which would match the 2011 and 2005 seasons for the best since the 1985 season, when the Boilers started 19-2.
- They will start the conference season 8-1 for the first time since 1985.
- They would earn their 50th win vs. the Wildcats in series history and move to 14-9 against Northwestern under Coach Shondell.
- They will improve to 272-200-1 all-time when playing in the month of October, including a 9-4 mark when playing on Oct. 24.
Notes About Northwestern
At First Glance: The Northwestern Wildcats (13-6, 3-5 Big Ten) look to break a four-match win strea when they face Purdue and Indiana this weekend. The Wildcats return 11 letterwinners, including six starters, from the 2013 team which posted a 16-16 record and finished tied for eighth in the Big Ten. Northwestern is coached by Keylor Chan, who is in his 15th year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Wildcats dropped a pair of road match last weekend, falling to No. 13 Nebraska in three sets and Iowa in five.
Statistically Speaking: Outside hitter Symone Abbott leads a group of four Northwestern hitters averaging more than two kills per set. Abbott puts down 3.41 kills per set followed by outside hitters Yewande Akanbi (2.90) and Kayla Morin (2.60) and middle blocker Katie Dutchman (2.40). Dutchman is hitting at a team-best .399 clip and adds 0.93 blocks per set and 12 aces, while Morin pulls up 2.40 digs per set and 15 aces. Middle blocker Maddie Slater leads Northwestern at the net with 0.97 blocks per set.
Defensively, libero Caroline Niedospial leads the way with 4.72 digs per set. Morin (2.40), setter Taylor Tashima (2.20) and outside hitter Monica McGreal (2.05) follow. As a team, Northwestern is hitting .252 and has served up 75 aces, including a team-leading 18 by McGreal.
Facts About The Fighting Illini
At First Glance: The No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini (14-5, 6-2 Big Ten) bring a three-match win streak into their Friday match with Indiana. The Illini return 14 letterwinners, including six starters, from the 2013 team which went 18-15, finished tied for fourth in the Big Ten and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. Illinois is coached by Kevin Hambly, who is in his fifth season with the team.
Last Time Out: The Fighting Illini have won their last three matches on the road: a four setter at No. 5 Penn State on Oct. 11, a five-setter at Iowa last Wednesday and a four-set upset of No. 13 Nebraska on Saturday.
Statistically Speaking: Outside hitter Jocelynn Birks headlines the Illini offense with 4.13 kills per set, while also chipping in a team-leading 21 aces and 2.59 digs per set. Outside hitters Liz McMahon (3.26) and Morganne Criswell (2.79) also contribute more than two kills per set. Middle blockers Katie Stadick and Anna Dorn lead the team at the net with 1.40 and 1.21 blocks per set respecitvely, while McMahon adds 0.90 stuffs per set. Dorn also is hitting at a team-leading .341 clip.
Defensively, libero Brandi Donnelly paces the team with 4.44 digs per set. Birks (2.59), defensive specialist Danielle Davis and setter Alexis Viliunas (1.90) follow. As a team, Illinois is hitting at a .266 clip and has served up 69 aces.
Among The Nation
The Boilermakers rank among the nation's top 25 in three different statistical categories. Purdue ranks seventh in hitting percentage (.293), 10th in kills per set (14.41), and 23rd in assists per set (13.15). The Boilers also rank 39th in blocks per set (2.54) and 43rd in opponent hitting percentage at .165.
Individually, senior middle blocker KiKi Jones ranks 31st in hitting percentage (.392). Junior outside hitter Annie Drews ranks 32nd in kills per set (4.21) and 44th in points per set (4.66). Senior setter Val Nichol ranks 50th in assists per set (10.74).