WEST LAFAYATTE, Ind. - The No.13 Purdue volleyball team returns to Holloway for a Halloween match up against Michigan State on Wednesday. The conference foes are scheduled to face off at 7 p.m. ET with the match airing live on the Big Ten Network with Mike Monaco and Kim Kuzma on the call.
AT THE NET
No. 13 Purdue vs. Michigan State
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018 | Holloway Gymnasium
A Holloway Halloween
BTN | Listen | Live Stats
QUICK HITS
The Boilermakers are 53-32 against the Spartans since first meeting them in 1975.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans enter the week with five consecutive loses, most recently to No. 3 Minnesota and No. 7 Wisconsin on back-to-back nights, falling 3-0 to both programs. The Spartans finished the first half of the Big Ten schedule with a 3-7 record, and sit in a tie for 11th place with Ohio State and Northwestern. However, its stretch of 15 dropped sets, MSU was within five points in 10 sets, within three points in five, and two points in four. Overall, Michigan State is guided by Alyssa Chronowski, who has produced 18 double-digit kill performances this season and owns a team-best 288 kills in 2018. As a team, the Spartans are averaging 2.69 blocks per set, which is good for fifth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally. MSU's total blocks (233.5) also ranks 24th nationally, while third the Big Ten.
LAST MEETING VS. THE SPARTANS
Earlier this season, freshman Grace Cleveland and sophomore Caitlyn Newton delivered double-digit kills, helping Purdue to rally for a 3-1 (15-25, 35-12, 25-19, 25-17) victory. The win was Purdue's first in East Lansing since 2015. Cleveland directed Purdue with 15 winners, while Newton racked up 12. Redshirt senior Sherridan Atkinson and redshirt junior Blake Mohler followed with nine and six kills, respectively. Redshirt freshman Hayley Bush was just one dig away from claiming another double-double on the season after dishing out a match-high 37 assists in addition to collecting nine digs. Meanwhile, senior Brooke Peters led the Boilermakers' back-row effort with a match-high 17 digs. Michigan State received 12 winners from Alyssa Chronowski, while Maddie Haggerty chipped in 10. Samantha McLean led the Spartans with 12 digs and Elena Shklyar dished out 24 assists.
AT THE NET
No. 13 Purdue vs. Michigan State
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018 | Holloway Gymnasium
A Holloway Halloween
BTN | Listen | Live Stats
QUICK HITS
- The Boilermakers are 19-4 on the season and 8-4 in Big Ten matches following back-to-back wins against Rutgers and then-No. 4 Penn State.
- Last week, the No. 17 Boilermakers snapped a 13-match losing skid against No. 4 Penn State with a 3-2 upset Saturday at Rec Hall. Resembling Purdue's 2010 five-set victory over the Nittany Lions, the come-from-behind 11-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 20-18 win is Purdue's first against a top-5 opponent this season and the first over Penn State since 2010. It also marked head coach Dave Shondell's first career victory in Rec Hall and Purdue's first win in University Park since the Boilermakers defeated Penn State, 3-1, in 1982.
- Redshirt senior outside hitter Sherridan Atkinson delievered a career-best and match-high 32 kills on Saturday, helping Purdue rally for a five-set comeback against the nationally ranked Nittany Lions. She is the first Boilermaker to register a 30+ kill performance since Annie Drews tallied 33 at Western Kentucky in 2014. Fourteen kills into her stellar performance, the veteran also became the 17th Boilermaker in Purdue program history to notch 1,000 career kills. Danielle Cuttino was the last Boilermaker to achieve the milestone in 2017.
- Atkinson's performance garnered not only the Big Ten Player of the Week and the Sports Import /AVCA National Player of the Week accolades. The AVCA National Player of the Week honor is the first of Atkinson's career and the fourth in Purdue program history. She is the first Boilermaker to be recognized since outside hitter Ariel Turner earned the honor on November 27, 2012.
- This will be Purdue's second match against Michigan State this season. Earlier this year, the Boilermakers visited East Lansing and claimed a four-set match.
- Purdue jumps to No. 13 in this week's AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll and has been ranked in all 11 polls this season. The Boilermakers are currently on a stretch of 27 listings and have made 209 overall appearances on the national poll. Purdue also boasts the nation's 12th-best RPI.
The Boilermakers are 53-32 against the Spartans since first meeting them in 1975.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans enter the week with five consecutive loses, most recently to No. 3 Minnesota and No. 7 Wisconsin on back-to-back nights, falling 3-0 to both programs. The Spartans finished the first half of the Big Ten schedule with a 3-7 record, and sit in a tie for 11th place with Ohio State and Northwestern. However, its stretch of 15 dropped sets, MSU was within five points in 10 sets, within three points in five, and two points in four. Overall, Michigan State is guided by Alyssa Chronowski, who has produced 18 double-digit kill performances this season and owns a team-best 288 kills in 2018. As a team, the Spartans are averaging 2.69 blocks per set, which is good for fifth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally. MSU's total blocks (233.5) also ranks 24th nationally, while third the Big Ten.
LAST MEETING VS. THE SPARTANS
Earlier this season, freshman Grace Cleveland and sophomore Caitlyn Newton delivered double-digit kills, helping Purdue to rally for a 3-1 (15-25, 35-12, 25-19, 25-17) victory. The win was Purdue's first in East Lansing since 2015. Cleveland directed Purdue with 15 winners, while Newton racked up 12. Redshirt senior Sherridan Atkinson and redshirt junior Blake Mohler followed with nine and six kills, respectively. Redshirt freshman Hayley Bush was just one dig away from claiming another double-double on the season after dishing out a match-high 37 assists in addition to collecting nine digs. Meanwhile, senior Brooke Peters led the Boilermakers' back-row effort with a match-high 17 digs. Michigan State received 12 winners from Alyssa Chronowski, while Maddie Haggerty chipped in 10. Samantha McLean led the Spartans with 12 digs and Elena Shklyar dished out 24 assists.