WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 16 Purdue volleyball team takes ones of its best starts in program history into Big Ten play as the Boilermakers host No. 8 Illinois and Northwestern this weekend at Holloway Gymnasium.
Purdue will open its conference slate with a sold-out match against Illinois on Friday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. Friday's match is themed "Dave Shondell's Luau in Holloway," with the first 500 students receiving a Purdue Hawaiian shirt. All season-ticket holders are encouraged to join the festivities and wear their Purdue Hawaiian shirts, as well.
The Boilermakers keep the action going on Saturday with a 7 p.m. contest against Northwestern. In the spirit of homecoming, the match will highlight Purdue volleyball alumni.
AT THE NET – Big Ten Action
Purdue vs. No. 8 Illinois - Tickets are sold out
Friday, Sept. 21 | 7 p.m.
Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Purdue vs. Northwestern
Saturday, Sept. 22 | 7 p.m.
Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
Quick Hits
The Boilermakers are 96-72 all-time against this weekend's field:
Illinois: 41-44
Northwestern: 55-28
Scouting No.8 Illinois
Ranked in the top-10 of the AVCA poll for the first time since 2015, No. 8 Illinois comes to West Lafayette with an 11-0 record and a quartet of top-25 wins. The Illini own victories over No. 25 Colorado State, No. 21 Colorado, No. 13 Washington and No. 10 Creighton. Jacqueline Quade leads Illinois with 4.33 kills per set on .341 hitting, while Ali Bastianelli hits .418 and averages 3.12 kills and 1.56 blocks per set. Jordyn Poulter (11.46 aps.) is one of the nation's top setters and Morgan O'Brien owns a team-high 4.51 digs per set. As a team, Illinois averages 14.13 kills, 1.85 aces, 13.97 digs and 2.95blocks per set on .307 hitting.
Last Meeting vs. the Fighting Illini
Purdue and Illinois only met once last season, when the Boilermakers swept (25-23, 25-19, 25-19) on their home floor in a packed Huff Hall. Jena Otec's serve was a game changer for the Boilermakers as she aced the Illini three times and Purdue won the point 12 of the 18 times she served. At the net, Blake Mohler turned in a complete performance in the middle as she finished with nine kills, a .375 hitting percentage and three blocks. Sherridan Atkinson was errorless in the contest with six kills on 16 attempts to match Mohler's .375 hitting percentage.
Scouting Northwestern
Northwestern has started 10-2 for the second-straight season, having won seven of its last eight matches. The Wildcats started the season by winning the Panther Invitational Championship in Milwaukee over South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Milwaukee. Northwestern's only two losses this season are sweeps by Princeton (25-18, 25-20, 25-18) in the Ellis Rowland Memorial Tournament and to Arkansas (17-25, 19-25, 22-25) in the Arkansas Classic. Northwestern is led by sophomore outside hitter Nia Robinson, who has posted double digit kills in all 12 of Northwestern's matches this season, with totals of 178 kills and 49 digs. Freshman Michelle Lee paces the team in digs with 149. Northwestern is under the direction of head coach Shane Davis, two-time national champion head coach at Loyola-Chicago, who is in his third season at Northwestern.
Last Meeting vs. the Wildcats
Purdue and Northwestern last met on October 8, 2017, when the Boilermakers swept the Wildcats in Evanston by scores of 27-25, 25-13 and 25-23. Purdue rallied from a 20-12 deficit in the first set, led by a massive kill from former Boilermaker Azariah Stahl and an ace by libero Brook Peters. Blake Mohler helped Purdue's efforts with 11 kills and six blocks. Saturday's match will be the 40th time Purdue has played Northwestern at home.
Purdue will open its conference slate with a sold-out match against Illinois on Friday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. Friday's match is themed "Dave Shondell's Luau in Holloway," with the first 500 students receiving a Purdue Hawaiian shirt. All season-ticket holders are encouraged to join the festivities and wear their Purdue Hawaiian shirts, as well.
The Boilermakers keep the action going on Saturday with a 7 p.m. contest against Northwestern. In the spirit of homecoming, the match will highlight Purdue volleyball alumni.
AT THE NET – Big Ten Action
Purdue vs. No. 8 Illinois - Tickets are sold out
Friday, Sept. 21 | 7 p.m.
Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Purdue vs. Northwestern
Saturday, Sept. 22 | 7 p.m.
Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
Quick Hits
- With their 11-0 record, the Boilermakers are off their best 11-game start since the 2011, when the team concluded its nonconference schedule 11-0 as well. Purdue is one of only six undefeated teams remaining this year. No. 8 Illinois is also a part of the undefeated circle.
- Purdue enters the weekend possessing one of the most lethal serves in the country, as the Boilermakers' 1.86 aces per set rank 13th in the nation. With 78 aces on the year, Purdue has already tallied more than half of its 147 aces from last season.
- The Boilermakers rank 22th nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.148), 30th in service aces (78) and 32nd in hitting percentage (.263).
- Commanding the Purdue offense is redshirt freshman Hayley Bush. The rookie setter averages 10.79 assists per set, which has guided Purdue to average 12.36 helpers per frame. Bush's mark ranks second in the Big Ten and 32nd in the nation.
- Purdue collected three tournament titles in this season's non-conference slate, including the Reamer Club Premier title, the Stacey Clark Classic crown and the Crimson & White Tournament title. The Boilermakers also garnered MVP honors in senior Sherridan Atkinson (Reamer Club Premier MVP) and redshirt junior Blake Mohler (Stacey Clark Classic MVP/ Crimson & White Tournament MVP).
- The Boilermakers will look to be victorious in their Big Ten opener for the second-straight season, for the eighth time in the last 10 years and the 12th time in 16 years under head coach Dave Shondell.
- Purdue and Illinois last opened Big Ten play against one another in 2016.
- Purdue owns a 96-72 combined record against Illinois and Northwestern (41-44 vs. Illinois | 55-28 vs. Northwestern).
The Boilermakers are 96-72 all-time against this weekend's field:
Illinois: 41-44
Northwestern: 55-28
Scouting No.8 Illinois
Ranked in the top-10 of the AVCA poll for the first time since 2015, No. 8 Illinois comes to West Lafayette with an 11-0 record and a quartet of top-25 wins. The Illini own victories over No. 25 Colorado State, No. 21 Colorado, No. 13 Washington and No. 10 Creighton. Jacqueline Quade leads Illinois with 4.33 kills per set on .341 hitting, while Ali Bastianelli hits .418 and averages 3.12 kills and 1.56 blocks per set. Jordyn Poulter (11.46 aps.) is one of the nation's top setters and Morgan O'Brien owns a team-high 4.51 digs per set. As a team, Illinois averages 14.13 kills, 1.85 aces, 13.97 digs and 2.95blocks per set on .307 hitting.
Last Meeting vs. the Fighting Illini
Purdue and Illinois only met once last season, when the Boilermakers swept (25-23, 25-19, 25-19) on their home floor in a packed Huff Hall. Jena Otec's serve was a game changer for the Boilermakers as she aced the Illini three times and Purdue won the point 12 of the 18 times she served. At the net, Blake Mohler turned in a complete performance in the middle as she finished with nine kills, a .375 hitting percentage and three blocks. Sherridan Atkinson was errorless in the contest with six kills on 16 attempts to match Mohler's .375 hitting percentage.
Scouting Northwestern
Northwestern has started 10-2 for the second-straight season, having won seven of its last eight matches. The Wildcats started the season by winning the Panther Invitational Championship in Milwaukee over South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Milwaukee. Northwestern's only two losses this season are sweeps by Princeton (25-18, 25-20, 25-18) in the Ellis Rowland Memorial Tournament and to Arkansas (17-25, 19-25, 22-25) in the Arkansas Classic. Northwestern is led by sophomore outside hitter Nia Robinson, who has posted double digit kills in all 12 of Northwestern's matches this season, with totals of 178 kills and 49 digs. Freshman Michelle Lee paces the team in digs with 149. Northwestern is under the direction of head coach Shane Davis, two-time national champion head coach at Loyola-Chicago, who is in his third season at Northwestern.
Last Meeting vs. the Wildcats
Purdue and Northwestern last met on October 8, 2017, when the Boilermakers swept the Wildcats in Evanston by scores of 27-25, 25-13 and 25-23. Purdue rallied from a 20-12 deficit in the first set, led by a massive kill from former Boilermaker Azariah Stahl and an ace by libero Brook Peters. Blake Mohler helped Purdue's efforts with 11 kills and six blocks. Saturday's match will be the 40th time Purdue has played Northwestern at home.