WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The nationally ranked Boilermakers defeated Northwestern in straight sets (25-18, 25-23, 25-21) for their Big Ten home opener Friday night at a sold out Holloway Gymnasium.
Friday's win marks Purdue's fourth consecutive victory against the Wildcats. Overall, the Boilermakers improve to 57-28 all-time against the Big Ten foe.
Sophomore Grace Cleveland led Purdue with 10 kills, while redshirt sophomore Hayley Bush added a team-best 29 assists and junior Jena Otec notched a team-high nine digs.
SET 3 (25-21) | The final set was much closer than the first two with neither team gaining more than three points on the other. Every Boilermaker scoring run was answered by the Wildcats. Knotted at 20, Purdue called timeout in an attempt to stall a Wildcat run. Successful, the Boilermakers took a slim lead on a Northwestern service error and a kill from freshmen Emma Ellis. Leading 22-20, Purdue collected the last three points and the victory with a Cleveland service ace, a kill from redshirt senior Blake Mohler and a NU's 17th attacking error of the night.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers continue their weekend at home with a 3 p.m. ET match against No.18 Illinois on Sunday.
Friday's win marks Purdue's fourth consecutive victory against the Wildcats. Overall, the Boilermakers improve to 57-28 all-time against the Big Ten foe.
Sophomore Grace Cleveland led Purdue with 10 kills, while redshirt sophomore Hayley Bush added a team-best 29 assists and junior Jena Otec notched a team-high nine digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (25-18) | Fueled by a pair of aces, the Boilermakers seized control early with a 5-1 advantage. Despite seven kills from Northwestern's Temi Thomas-Ailara, Purdue never relinquished the lead. The Boilermakers kept control with 13 kills, including five kills from Cleveland. Back-to-back miscues from Thomas-Ailara sealed the set for Purdue, 25-18.
SET 3 (25-21) | The final set was much closer than the first two with neither team gaining more than three points on the other. Every Boilermaker scoring run was answered by the Wildcats. Knotted at 20, Purdue called timeout in an attempt to stall a Wildcat run. Successful, the Boilermakers took a slim lead on a Northwestern service error and a kill from freshmen Emma Ellis. Leading 22-20, Purdue collected the last three points and the victory with a Cleveland service ace, a kill from redshirt senior Blake Mohler and a NU's 17th attacking error of the night.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers continue their weekend at home with a 3 p.m. ET match against No.18 Illinois on Sunday.