Top-10 Matchup on the Horizon for Volleyball

Game Notes

Friday, March 26 | 2 p.m. ET
BTN+ | WSHY 104.3
No. 10 Purdue at No .9 Ohio State

Saturday, March 20 | 2 p.m. ET
ESPNU | Listen Online
No. 10 Purdue at No. 9 Ohio State

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A showdown is slated for Columbus, Ohio, this weekend as No. 10 Purdue volleyball (11-5) is slated to take on No. 9 Ohio State (15-1) at the Covelli Center in a pair of afternoon matchups on Friday and Saturday.

The matches, set for 2 p.m. ET starts, will be streamed on Big Ten Network Plus on Friday and ESPNU on Saturday. 

Schedule Notes

• Purdue is well-seasoned against AVCA top-25 ranked opponents, having faced four programs among the top-25 this year thus far (record: 3-5), compared to Ohio State's two (record: 3-1).
• Purdue had a loaded start to the 2021 season with three top-25 opponents in the opening four weeks (including the No. 1 and No. 6 teams in the nation).
• Purdue is set to play its fifth and sixth consecutive road matches with its weekend in Columbus. The last time the Boilermakers played in Holloway Gymnasium was on February 28 (vs. IU).
• This is the second opponent this season Purdue will play that was ranked directly one spot above them in the AVCA poll. Last: vs. then-No. 10 Penn State while Purdue was ranked No. 11. Purdue split the weekend, with both matches decided in four.

Scouting No. 11 Purdue (11-5)

• Purdue has been ranked in the top-10 for three straight weeks. It is the sixth Boilermaker team in program history to rank among the top-10 in at least consecutive weeks (2021, 2014, 2012, 2011, 1983, 1982). 
• The Boilermakers are ranked for 58 consecutive weeks in the AVCA Polls (Preseason 2017-2021).
• Purdue is the best receiving team in the Big Ten with 0.93 opponent service aces allowed.
• Purdue ranks second in the league behind Maryland with 2.89 blocks per set. 
• Over the last four matches, Purdue has totaled 59 blocks, which leads the Big Ten.
• Purdue committed no reception errors in the sweep vs. Indiana (2/28), marking the first perfect match since the 2019 NCAA First Round vs. Wright State (12/6/19) and the fifth time since the start of the 2018 season.
• Purdue leads the Big Ten in total blocks over the last four matches, accumulating 59. In comparison, Ohio State has totaled 32.
• Purdue and Wisconsin are the only programs in the Big Ten with at least four players registering a .290 or higher hitting % (minimum: 37 kills). Purdue has four: freshman Taylor Trammel (.395), junior Jael Johnson (.392), junior Grace Cleveland (.314) and redshirt junior Hayley Bush (.290).
• Four Boilermakers have earned Big Ten weekly awards this season: Jael Johnson (Player of the Week, 2/1), Hayley Bush (Setter of the Week, 2/15), Taylor Trammell (Defensive Player of the Week, 2/15 and Freshman of the Week, 3/8) and Grace Cleveland (Defensive Player of the Week, 3/8).
• For the second consecutive season, Purdue has recorded 17.0 total blocks in multiple outings.
• Two of the team's three 2019 All-Americans returned: Cleveland (third-team) and Caitlyn Newton (honorable mention). 

Scouting Ohio State (15-1)

• Notable wins: a pair of wins vs. Penn State (five set and sweep), split the weekend at No. 4 Nebraska, both matches going to five sets.
• The Buckeyes rank No. 23 in the nation in kills per set (14.09) and No. 33 in both assists (848) and blocks (154).
• Head-to-head, Purdue and Ohio State's team and opponent hitting percentage are extremely similar, with Ohio State holding a .001 edge in hitting %, while Purdue holds a .001 edge on opponent hitting %.
• Ohio State is home to two of the top freshmen in the nation in Rylee Raider and Emily Londot. Rader leads the Buckeyes with 1.12 blocks per set and a .437 hitting % while averaging 2.40 kills per set, meanwhile Londot owns a team-leading 254 kills and 639 attempts (.385 attack %). The Buckeye is thee kills shy of holding a 100-kill lead over the team's next-highest attacker.
• Ohio State is out-hitting its opponents .264-.187 on the court, and are out-serving opponents 1.32 aces per set to 1.18.
• Defensively, sophomore libero Kylie Murr has recorded 267 digs this season.