BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Behind a complete team effort, the No.12 Purdue (23-7, 12-7 Big Ten) volleyball team outlasted Indiana (16-14, 7-12 Big Ten) in Wednesday night's five-set match. Pacing the effort were redshirt senior Sherridan Atkinson and freshman Marissa Hornung, who directed four Boilermakers in double-digit kills and a trio of Boilermakers in double-digital digs, respectively.
The win marked Purdue's 13th consecutive victory over the Hoosier's since 2012 and the last volleyball match to be played at University Gym.
Sophomore Caitlyn Newton had her way with the Hoosiers, hitting a team-best .368 with 17 kills on 38 swings. Atkinson led all hitters in the contest with 20 kills, while also delivering three aces and 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. Redshirt junior Blake Mohler and freshman Grace Cleveland added to the effort with a combined 25 kills.
Redshirt freshman Hayley Bush was efficient as Purdue's floor general, setting the offense on 52 of its 62 kills, while adding five digs and an assisted block.
Defensively, sophomore Jena Otec followed Hornung's 19 digs with 12 of her own, while Mohler and Cleveland led Purdue with two blocks each.
The two teams battled back-and-forth in the opening set of the rivalry match, with Purdue ultimately taking the set 25-23. Purdue outhit Indiana .268 to .216, but the Hoosiers led the Boilermakers in kills, 15-14, and digs 22-15. Tying the set on six different occasions, the Boilermakers broke through the final tie at 13 with a Newton kill and capitalized on six Indiana miscues to stay ahead.
Purdue kept its momentum going with a 7-2 lead in the second set and never looked back on its way to a 25-22 win. The Boilermakers posted a .300 hitting clip, while holding the Hoosiers to a .262 rating. Purdue notched 16 kills, two service aces and two blocks in the only frame that saw no more than one tie at 17.
The Hoosiers responded in set three and were able to take the set, 25-20, after hitting .414 with 15 kills. Purdue hit .143 as eight Boilermaker miscues plagued Purdue's 35 attempts at the net.
Indiana answered in the fourth set again to even the match at 2-2 with a 25-17 victory. The frame saw two ties after Otec delivered back-to-back aces, tying the set at nine and again at 10.
With the match tied at two, Purdue regrouped and closed the night in dominant fashion. Setting the tempo of the final frame with 12 kills to Indiana's six, the Boilermakers outhit the home squad .556 to .294. Leading 13-9, Purdue secured the set and the match on kills from Newton and Atkinson and an Otec ace.
Now the Boilermakers prepare for their final match of the regular season as Purdue travels to Champaign, Illinois to matchup with No. 4 Illinois on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
The win marked Purdue's 13th consecutive victory over the Hoosier's since 2012 and the last volleyball match to be played at University Gym.
Sophomore Caitlyn Newton had her way with the Hoosiers, hitting a team-best .368 with 17 kills on 38 swings. Atkinson led all hitters in the contest with 20 kills, while also delivering three aces and 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. Redshirt junior Blake Mohler and freshman Grace Cleveland added to the effort with a combined 25 kills.
Redshirt freshman Hayley Bush was efficient as Purdue's floor general, setting the offense on 52 of its 62 kills, while adding five digs and an assisted block.
Defensively, sophomore Jena Otec followed Hornung's 19 digs with 12 of her own, while Mohler and Cleveland led Purdue with two blocks each.
The two teams battled back-and-forth in the opening set of the rivalry match, with Purdue ultimately taking the set 25-23. Purdue outhit Indiana .268 to .216, but the Hoosiers led the Boilermakers in kills, 15-14, and digs 22-15. Tying the set on six different occasions, the Boilermakers broke through the final tie at 13 with a Newton kill and capitalized on six Indiana miscues to stay ahead.
Purdue kept its momentum going with a 7-2 lead in the second set and never looked back on its way to a 25-22 win. The Boilermakers posted a .300 hitting clip, while holding the Hoosiers to a .262 rating. Purdue notched 16 kills, two service aces and two blocks in the only frame that saw no more than one tie at 17.
The Hoosiers responded in set three and were able to take the set, 25-20, after hitting .414 with 15 kills. Purdue hit .143 as eight Boilermaker miscues plagued Purdue's 35 attempts at the net.
Indiana answered in the fourth set again to even the match at 2-2 with a 25-17 victory. The frame saw two ties after Otec delivered back-to-back aces, tying the set at nine and again at 10.
With the match tied at two, Purdue regrouped and closed the night in dominant fashion. Setting the tempo of the final frame with 12 kills to Indiana's six, the Boilermakers outhit the home squad .556 to .294. Leading 13-9, Purdue secured the set and the match on kills from Newton and Atkinson and an Otec ace.
Now the Boilermakers prepare for their final match of the regular season as Purdue travels to Champaign, Illinois to matchup with No. 4 Illinois on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.