Boilermakers Overpower Hawkeyes 3-1Boilermakers Overpower Hawkeyes 3-1

Boilermakers Overpower Hawkeyes 3-1

Purdue improves to five consecutive wins against Iowa

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. - Veterans Grace Cleveland, Shavona Cuttino and Caitlyn Newton finished with double-digit kills to carry the 20th-ranked Purdue volleyball team to a Big Ten victory over Iowa. The Boilermakers (13-5 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) took the match in four sets, 20-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-15, on Friday night in front of a sold out crowd at Holloway Gymnasium.
 
Cleveland topped the squad with 18 kills on 25 swings with only one error, followed closed behind by Newton with 17. Cuttino rounded Purdue's double-digit kill performances with 10 as Purdue hit .385 (60-13-122).
 
Purdue was able to limit the attacking power of Iowa (8-12, 2-7 Big Ten), as it took the advantage in digs (44-43) and blocks (11-4) to hold Iowa to a .208 hitting percentage (45-20-120)
 
Defensively, sophomore libero Marissa Hornung directed the Boilermakers with 18 digs, while Cuttino paced the team with nine block assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (20-25) | The conference foes were evenly matched through the first eight points, until consecutive Purdue attacking errors gave Iowa a slim 11-8 advantage. The Boilermaker offense battled back with six kills from Cleveland, but the Hawkeyes utilized small runs to stay ahead, closing out the set 25-20.
 
SET 2 (25-20) | Iowa continued its momentum with a 4-2 opening run, before Purdue capitalized on a Hawkeye service error with a pair of kills, knotting the score at five. From there, the teams once again went point-for-point, until a Cleveland kill sparked a 5-1 run for the Boilermakers. Leading 23-19, Purdue closed out the set with an ace by junior Jena Otec and a combo stop by Newton and Cuttino.

SET 3 (25-16) | Purdue set itself up for success, delivering a commanding 7-1 run to open the set. Outhitting the Hawkeyes, .400 to -.042, the Boilermakers maintained control  for a 25-16 set victory. The frame was highlighted by eight combined kills from Cleveland and Newton and three blocks from Cuttino.
 
SET 4 (25-15) | Back-to-back kills from Cleveland propelled Purdue to a 4-0 lead, but a pair of Boilermaker miscues helped Iowa close the gap. Knotted at four, Purdue delivered a 4-1 run to reclaim the lead. Leading 10-6, the Boilermakers reinforced their control with a 9-4 run. Maintaining a double-digit advantage, Purdue closed out the final frame on consecutive kills from freshman Madeline Koch.

UP NEXT
Purdue turns around quickly to host No.5 Nebraska at Holloway Gymnasium on Saturday night. The match is set for 8 p.m. ET and will broadcast on the Big Ten Network.