Purdue Begins 3-Match Road Stretch at Illinois

Wednesday, October 6 | 9 p.m. ET
#6 Purdue at Illinois
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | BTN

Saturday, October 9 | 8 p.m. ET
#6 Purdue at Iowa
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | B1G+
 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 6 Purdue volleyball team (11-2, 3-1 B1G) will spend the next three matches on the road, opening Week 7 with the program's first midweek test.

After falling to Illinois (11-4, 3-1 B1G) in five sets last Friday, No. 6 Purdue will look to even the score with a Wednesday night match on Big Ten Network in Huff Hall. Purdue's match against the Fighting Illini, who are receiving votes in the latest AVCA poll, marks the seventh match against a team ranked or receiving votes this season.

Then, the Boilermakers will travel to Coralville, Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes (2-12, 0-4 B1G) on Saturday night in Xtream Arena.

LOOKING BACK: ILLINOIS AT PURDUE ROUND 1 (10/1/21)

• The Boilermakers suffered its first five-set loss of the season with the 2-3 final score vs. Illinois in Holloway.
• Three Boilers recorded double-doubles: Caitlyn Newton (19 kills, 14 digs), Hayley Bush (47 assists, 15 digs) and Grace Cleveland (14 kills, 10 total blocks). Cleveland's 10 total blocks, which included nine assisted, both tied career-highs.
• In total, five players reached double-digit digs.
• Taylor Trammell led the team with a .467 hitting efficiency (9-2-15) while adding a 11 total blocks (1 solo, 10 assisted). She was one kill shy of her first double-double.
• In Cleveland's first double-double of the season, she ignited in the fourth set, putting down five kills (5-0-10) to give Purdue the moment to come from behind and push the match to the fifth.
• Bush also reached a career milestone in the match, becoming just the 8th Boilermaker in program history to reach 4,000 assists.Purdue had three set-point opportunities in the first set before Illinois clinched the set. 

LAST WEEK AT A GLANCE

• Purdue led the league with an opponent hitting % of .132.
• Taylor Trammell and Grace Cleveland topped the Big Ten charts, leading the league during Week 2 of conference action with 1.83 and 1.75 blocks per set, respectively.
• Cleveland recorded the best attack % in the Big Ten last week, tallying a .750 % vs. Rutgers (13-1-16), marking the second-most efficient match of her career.

A WEEKEND OF MILESTONES & RECORD BOOK PERFORMANCES

• On Friday vs. Illinois, Hayley Bush recorded her 4,000th career assist, becoming just the 8th Boilermaker in program history to reach the milestone. She currently ranks No. 8 all-time with 4,064. She is on-track to move up in the record books this weekend (7th: March Fischl, 4,116 and 6th: Ashley Evans, 4,124).
• The following night vs. Rutgers marked HC Dave Shondell and coaching staff's 600th match at Purdue.
• Additionally, libero/defensive specialist Jena Otec recorded her 145th career service ace to tie for 10th in Purdue history. With the feat, Otec became the first Boilermaker in 24 years to reach 145 aces (last: Brooke White, 1993-96).
• Grace Cleveland's .750 hitting clip vs. Rutgers ties as the 5th-most efficient performance in Purdue history in a three-setter (15-19 attempts).

DEFENSIVE LIVES HERE

• Purdue out-blocked opponents 23-10 in the opening weekend of Big Ten play.
• Purudue has consistently climbed the national rankings in blocks per set. In the opening weekend of Big Ten play, the Boilers posted 23 total blocks and jumped 11 spots in the national rankings to 15th. This week they are up to 11th with 2.81 per set.
• Purdue held Ohio State and Indiana to an average of .140 attack % in the opening weekend of B1G play.
• This season, Purdue is averaging 15.5 digs per set (3rd in the league).
• Taylor Trammell ranks fifth in the league with 1.38 blocks per set.
• Jena Otec, the 2020 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, ranks 6th in the league with 4.16 digs per set.

ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Series History: 42-48 (ILL Leads) | Last Meeting: Oct. 1, 2021 (L, 2-3 at PUR)

• Purdue has lost the past two meetings to Illinois in five sets. 
• In the last six meetings dating back to the 2018 season, Purdue has only won once: April 2, 2021 (3-0).
• The Illini have played two top-20 opponents in then-#11 Washington and #19 Creighton, which the team fell in four sets on both occasions.
• The Illini are looking to rebound after a tough 1-3 loss at home against Wisconsin.
• Illinois brings the toughest serve in the Big Ten, ranking 1st in the league and 2th in the NCAA with 2.00 aces per set.  They are led by a trio of players: Raina Terry, Taylor Kuper, and Jessica Nunge, who are all in the Big Ten's top 10 in aces per set.
• Besides being one of the best servers in the Big Ten, Kuper also averages 4.56 digs per set, which is third in the Big Ten.
• Illinois could have a tough time hitting the ball as they are up against a Purdue team that is third best in blocks per set in the Big Ten.

IOWA HAWKEYES
Series History: 57-22 (PUR leads) | Last Meeting on Jan. 30, 2021 (W, 3-0 at PUR)

• Purdue is riding a six-match winning streak dating back to Oct. 7, 2016.
• Their attack is led by First Team All-Big Ten honoree Courtney Buzzerio, who averages 4.42 kills per set, 2nd in the Big Ten and 13th in the country.
• Iowa ranks 6th in the Big Ten in service aces with an average of 1.43 aces per set.
• Maddie Slagle leads their ack row with 3.3 digs per set.