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The Slate: Big Ten Week 9
Wednesday, Nov. 19: 7 p.m. vs. Rutgers
Holloway Gymnasium - West Lafayette, Ind.
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Promotions - Students get in free while supplies last.
Saturday, Nov. 22: 8 p.m. vs. Minnesota
Sports Pavilion - Minneapolis, Minn.
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Radio - purduesports.com
Live Stats - purduesports.com
The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: The No. 16 Boilermakers (21-7, 11-5 Big Ten) will play their final home match of the 2014 season against Rutgers on Wednesday. Seniors KiKi Jones and Val Nichol will be honored after the match. 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 are in fifth place in the Big Ten after sweeping Maryland on Wednesday and Northwestern on Saturday.
Statistically Speaking: Junior Annie Drews paces the Boilermaker offense with 3.99 kills per set, while junior Sam Epenesa (2.41), redshirt sophomore Faye Adelaja (2.03), senior KiKi Jones (2.02) and freshman Azariah Stahl (1.85) follow. Jones leads the Boilers at the net with 1.02 blocks per set, while freshman Danielle Cuttino has put up 1.01 stuffs per stanza.
Defensively, libero Amanda Neill has pulled up 3.73 digs per set, while redshirt freshman Ashley Evans (2.34), Nichol (2.25) and redshirt sophomore Kate Workman (1.79) follow. As a team, Purdue has hit at a .268 clip and served up 114 aces, including 25 by Nichol, 21 by freshman Lydia Dimke, 19 by Neill, 18 by Evans, 13 by Workman and 11 by Drews.
Series Information
Rutgers (Purdue leads the series 2-0): The Boilermakers have won all three previous contests with the Scarlet Knights, two in 1982 and one earlier this season. Purdue began the series with a sweep on Nov. 12, 1982, at the Penn State Invitational and a four-set win on Dec. 5, 1982, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in West Lafayette. The Boilers won via sweep in New Brunswick, N.J., on Oct. 3.
Minnesota (Minnesota leads the series 47-29): Purdue dominated the early part of the series with the Golden Gophers, which began on Oct. 11, 1975, posting 18 wins in the first 20 meetings. Minnesota won 19 of the next 25, though Purdue swept the 1990 series. The Boilermakers took the 1998 series in a pair of five set matches, but the Gophers won 22 of the next 24. Purdue took a 3-1 win in the lone 2011 meeting, snapping an 11-match UM win streak and marking the first Purdue win since 2005. The Gophers swept the 2012 and 2013 seasons, but the Boilers won via sweep on Nov. 1.
What a Difference a Win Makes...
If the Boilermakers top Rutgers on Wednesday:
- They will move to 22-7 on the season and extend their current win streak to three matches.
- They will move to 12-5 in Big Ten play.
- They will sweep the season series with the Scarlet Knights.
- They will move to 13-3 at home in 2014, moving Purdue's all-time home record to 323-173 (.651), including a 134-52 mark (72.0 percent) under Dave Shondell.
- They will improve to 197-164 all-time when playing in the month of November, including a 5-7 mark when playing on Nov. 19.
Scouting the Scarlet Knights
At First Glance: The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-22, 0-16 Big Ten) journey to West Lafayette for the first time since 1982 on Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights posted a 5-27 record and 10th place American Athletic Conference record in 2013. Eleven letterwinners, including six starters, return from that team. Rutgers is coached by CJ Werneke, who is in his seventh year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Scarlet Knights fell to 0-16 in Big Ten play dropping a pair of sweeps last week. Rutgers fell to Indiana in Bloomington on Wednesday and at home against No. 12 Illinois on Sunday.
Statistically Speaking: Outside hitter Meme Fletcher leads the way for the Scarlet Knights, putting down 2.59 kills per set to go with team-leading 23 aces and 2.41 digs per set. Four other players are averaging nearly two kills per set. Outside hitter Alex Lassa (1.93) and middle blockers Mikaela Matthews (1.70), Lauren Cloyd (1.86) and Eden Frazier (1.52) round out the group. Matthews boasts a team-best .268 hitting percentage and also puts up a team-high 0.98 blocks per set. Frazier adds 0.97 blocks per set and 12 aces.
Defensively, libero Ali Schroeter paces the team with 4.20 digs per set. Fletcher (2.41), defensive specialist Ronnie Komisarek (1.83), setter Anna Sudbury (1.69) and setter Nicole Bayer (1.66) follow. Bayer also adds 21 aces. As a team, Rutgers is hitting at a .140 clip and has served up 117 aces.
Getting to Know the Golden Gophers
At First Glance: The Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-11, 6-10 Big Ten) are slated for a Wednesday match at Maryland before welcoming the Boilermakers to Minneapolis on Saturday. The Gophers return eight letterwinners, including four starters from the 2013 team, which posted a 29-7 overall record, third place Big Ten finish and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. Minnesota is coached by Hugh McCutcheon, who is in his third year with the team.
Last Time Out: Minnesota split matches with Northwestern and No. 6 Penn State last week, topping the Wildcats in four sets at home and falling to the Nittany Lions in three sets in University Park, Pa.
Statistically Speaking: Outside hitter Daly Santana paces Minnesota with 3.91 kills per set, while also serving up a team-best 34 aces and adding 2.44 digs per set. Outside hitters Sarah Wilhite (3.00) and Adrianna Nora (1.95) and middle blockers Paige Tapp (2.07) and Hannah Tapp (1.71) round out the offense. Paige Tapp leads the Gophers at the net with 1.44 blocks per set, while Hannah Tapp adds 1.22 stuffs per set.
Defensively, libero Dalianliz Rosado (2.72) and Santana (2.61) headline a group of five Gophers averaging more than two digs per set. Outside hitter Alyssa Goehner (2.48), Wilhite (2.28) and setter Katie Schau (2.19) round out the group. As a team, Minnesota is hitting at a .228 clip and has served up 111 aces.
Among The Nation
The Boilermakers rank among the nation's top 50 in four different statistical categories. Purdue ranks ninh in kills per set (14.37), 16th in assists per set (13.25) and 18th in hitting percentage (.268). The Boilers also rank 50th in blocks per set (2.45).
Individually, senior middle blocker KiKi Jones ranks 38th in hitting percentage (.378). Junior outside hitter Annie Drews ranks 53rd in kills per set (3.99) and 64th in points per set (4.39).
Poll Position
The Boilermakers held on to the No. 16 spot in this week's AVCA Coaches' Poll after moving into the position a week ago. The Boilers were No. 8 in the preseason rankings, marking the highest in program history, ahead of the No. 9 listing to start the 2012 season. The No. 7 ranking on Sept. 1 matched the highest in program lore, duplicating the team's poll position on Nov. 14, 1983, and Aug. 27, 2012.
Purdue was ranked in the Top 25 throughout the 2013 season, peaking with the No. 8 ranking in the final poll, and has been ranked in 60 consecutive polls dating to Nov. 29, 2010. This week's ranking is Purdue's 157th all-time since the AVCA polls began in 1982, including preseason and postseason listings.
Neill Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
Junior libero Amanda Neill was named as the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week Nov. 17 for her efforts in sweeps of Maryland and Northwestern. Neill paced the Boiler defense, averaging 4.33 digs per set, while also serving up four aces and making good on all 22 of her serve reception chances. The Lafayette, Ind., native helped Purdue to a .398 hitting percentage on the week, including three sets of .500 or better efficiency.
Against the Terrapins, Neill managed a match-high 10 digs and converted on all eight of her serve reception chances as the Boilers hit at a .373 clip in the match. The junior also managed two assists and served up an ace. Against Northwestern, she pulled up a team-best 16 digs and helped Purdue to a .419 hitting effort, making good on 22 reception attempts. Neill also served up a season and career best three aces and dished out two assists in the sweep.
The honor was the first Big Ten weekly accolade for Neill and the first for a Boilermaker since senior Val Nichol was named Big Ten Setter of the Week, Sept. 1.
Records & Milestones
Senior middle blocker KiKi Jones is making her way up the Purdue career top 10 in block assists and total blocks. Jones entered the 2014 season ranked sixth in block assists (364) and ninth in total blocks (409). The Fishers, Ind., native has moved into second in block assists (445) and is in fifth on the total blocks list (500).
Senior Val Nichol (881) recorded her 800th career kill against Morehead State, while senior KiKi Jones (850) registered her 800th putaway at Northwestern. Junior Annie Drews (815) recorded her 800th career kill against Maryland. Junior Sam Epenesa (513) registered kill 500 against Iowa, while redshirt sophomore Faye Adelaja (304) tallied kill 300 against Northwestern. Freshman Azariah Stahl (157) recorded her 100th kill at Indiana, while redshirt freshman Ashley Evans (124) reached the milestone at Northwestern.
On the defensive front, junior Amanda Neill (788) recorded her 700th career dig against No. 10 Illinois. Nichol posted her 500th career dig (588) against Indiana, and recorded her 200th career block vs. Kennesaw State (264). Jones (217) recorded her 500th block against Northwestern and her 200th dig at Northwestern, Epenesa (108) recorded her 100th block at Northwestern and her 200th dig against No. 13 Nebraska (209).
Several Boilermakers are approaching career milestones. Adelaja is five blocks away from 200. Redshirt sophomore Kate Workman is one dig away from 200, while Nichol needs eight digs for 600 and Neill is 12 away from 800. Nichol is 19 kills from 900.
Balanced Attack
Since switching to the 6-2 offense on Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota, the Boilers have featured a more balanced offensive attack with seven different players averaging more than two kills per set. Junior Annie Drews has put down 3.17 kills per set followed by junior Sam Epenesa (2.56), freshman Azariah Stahl (2.46), senior Val Nichol (2.19), freshman Danielle Cuttino (2.10), redshirt sophomore Faye Adelaja (2.10) and senior KiKi Jones (2.00).
Against Minnesota, five players had seven or more kills. Against Iowa, three players reached double-figures and a fourth chipped in nine kills. Against Maryland, four players had six or more kills. Against Northwestern, four players had eight or more kills, while two others added more than five. Five different players have led the team in kills during the stretch.