Friday, October 15 | 8 p.m. ET
#6 Purdue at #7 Ohio State
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | BTN
Sunday, October 17 | 2 p.m. ET
#6 Purdue vs. #15 Penn State
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | ESPN2
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A pair of top-15 matchups await No. 6 Purdue volleyball (13-2, 5-1 B1G) this weekend as they travel to the Covelli Center to take on the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (14-2, 4-2 B1G) on Big Ten Network this Friday at 8 p.m. ET. Then on Sunday, the Boilermakers will be back in Holloway for a matinee match vs. No. 15 Penn State (12-4, 5-1 B1G) on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. ET.
Purdue's match at No. 7 Ohio State will mark the beginning of a Big Ten stretch that includes four top-15 battles in the next six outings. Fans will be able to watch five of those battles on television between BTN and ESPNU.
PLAYING THEIR BEST VOLLEYBALL
• Caitlyn Newton (.230 attack %) is on track to have her most efficient season to date. She has hit over .400 twice: .414 in the season-opener vs. LMU (8/27) and .406 vs. Lipscomb (9/11).
• Grace Cleveland is well beyond her efficiency from years past. She currently owns a .335 hitting % and 4.36 points per set, with one errorless match at UNLV (9/2, 13-0-23) and nearly had one vs. Tennessee, where she went errorless through the first two sets with 11 kills. In total, Cleveland did not have more than three errors in a non-conference match and had one or fewer errors in six matches this season.
• Pin hitters Maddy Chinn, Emma Ellis and Maddie Koch have all stepped up when their time came:
• Chinn set a career-high 11 kills and five digs vs. #22 Tennessee (9/18).
• Ellis tied her career-best 13 kills while setting a career-high .600 attack % vs. Lipscomb (9/11).
• Koch set career-highs vs. Rutgers with 10 kills. She is also hitting the most efficiently of her career, averaging a .280 attack %, including a .562 hitting % vs. Rutgers (10/2) and a perfect 3-0-3 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (9/17/21). Moreover, she tied a career-high two block assists vs. #RV Kansas (8/29).
THE TAKEDOWN OF #3 OHIO STATE, ROUND 1: 9/24/21
• After losing two straight sets, Purdue came from behind to take set four and force a fifth. The win marked the first victory over a top-3 opponent in Holloway since 2015 (last: vs. #3 Minnesota, W 3-2, 11/21/15).
• The Boilermakers out-blocked the Buckeyes 11-6.
• Purdue won its first five-set match since at Michigan State (11/29/19).
• The Boilermakers averaged a .216 hitting clip and held Ohio State to .210, which included 29 attack errors, which still holds as a season-lows for the Buckeyes.
• Freshman Raven Colvin was a difference-maker, starting the final two sets and registering six kills, no errors and a .667 attack % to go alongside two block assists.
• Jena Otec saw 29 receptions in the match and totaled 22 digs.
• Purdue forced 12 OSU service errors, the most Ohio State has suffered in Big Ten play this year.
• Shortly after, Holloway was ranked as the toughest place to play in the Big Ten, a testament to Boilermaker fans, as Mackey Arena received the same praise for men's basketball.
CONSISTENCE & EXCELLENCE: GRACE CLEVELAND
• 2020 AVCA First Team All-American Grace Cleveland has hit for double-digit kills in seven consecutive outings and 11 of the team's 15 matches this season.
• Cleveland owns one double-double this season vs. Illinois (10/1): 14 kills, 10 total blocks. Meanwhile, she was on the cusp vs. Ohio State (9/24): 15 kills, 9 digs and at Illinois (10/6): 17 kills, 9 digs.
• The Bloomington, Illinois native has hit above .400 six times this year, including the second-highest hitting % of her career, .750 vs. Rutgers (10/2). The attack % also tied as the 5th-most efficient performance in Purdue history in a three-setter (15-19 attempts).
• Earlier this season, Cleveland was named on the NCAA's top-16 offensive D1 players returning for 2021. She was joined more recently by teammate Jena Otec, who was named to the NCAA's top 10 liberos to watch.
• Cleveland is averaging 3.51 kills per set, up from the spring's 3.24 per set mark. Additionally, Cleveland is averaging a .335 hitting clip compared to last season's .295.
#7 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Series History: 45-47 (PUR Leads) | Last Meeting: Sept. 24, 2021 (W, 3-2 at PUR)
• Purdue's had Ohio State's number, having won the last seven straight meetings vs. Ohio State, dating back to Oct. 27, 2017. Meanwhile in the past 10 years, Purdue owns the 11-5 advantage.
• The Buckeyes lead the nation in kills per set (14.91). They are guided by Emily Londot with 3.87 per set. She was held to a season-low 17 errors and season-high 63 attempts at Purdue earlier this season.
• Ohio State is holding opponents to a .151 attack % while hitting .297.
• Kylie Murr was named one of the NCAA's liberos to watch, joining Purdue's Jena Otec. She is averaging 4.61 digs per set, second in the Big Ten.
• Setter Mac Podraza is second in the nation and 2nd in the league with 12.02 assists per set.
• Ohio State is 1st in the nation in kills per set and assists per set, along with 6th in hitting %.
#15 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Series History: 8-58 (PSU Leads) | Last Meeting: March 6, 2021 (L, 1-3 at PSU)
• Purdue and Penn State both rank in the top four in the league in kills, blocks and hitting %. Ohio State is the only other program who can boast the same.
• Although the series favors Penn State heavily, in the last four meetings, Purdue and Penn State are split evenly, trading off a win each match.
• Purdue split the spring matchups in State College, winning 3-1 on March 5, before losing to the same score the night after.
• Sunday will be the first time Purdue has hosted Penn State in two years (last: Oct. 10, 2018, 3-1 PSU).
• Neither team has swept the other since November 19, 2016 (3-0, PSU).
• Penn State ranks 2nd in the nation and league in blocks per set (3.13). Meanwhile they are 10th in hitting % (.282).
• Leading the block is Kaitlyn Hord, who ranks 5th nationally with 1.58 blocks per set.
• Meanwhile, Allie Holland is averaging .406 % on the attack, good for 21st in the nation and 4th in the Big Ten.
#6 Purdue at #7 Ohio State
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | BTN
Sunday, October 17 | 2 p.m. ET
#6 Purdue vs. #15 Penn State
WSHY 104.3 FM or Listen Online | ESPN2
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A pair of top-15 matchups await No. 6 Purdue volleyball (13-2, 5-1 B1G) this weekend as they travel to the Covelli Center to take on the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (14-2, 4-2 B1G) on Big Ten Network this Friday at 8 p.m. ET. Then on Sunday, the Boilermakers will be back in Holloway for a matinee match vs. No. 15 Penn State (12-4, 5-1 B1G) on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. ET.
Purdue's match at No. 7 Ohio State will mark the beginning of a Big Ten stretch that includes four top-15 battles in the next six outings. Fans will be able to watch five of those battles on television between BTN and ESPNU.
PLAYING THEIR BEST VOLLEYBALL
• Caitlyn Newton (.230 attack %) is on track to have her most efficient season to date. She has hit over .400 twice: .414 in the season-opener vs. LMU (8/27) and .406 vs. Lipscomb (9/11).
• Grace Cleveland is well beyond her efficiency from years past. She currently owns a .335 hitting % and 4.36 points per set, with one errorless match at UNLV (9/2, 13-0-23) and nearly had one vs. Tennessee, where she went errorless through the first two sets with 11 kills. In total, Cleveland did not have more than three errors in a non-conference match and had one or fewer errors in six matches this season.
• Pin hitters Maddy Chinn, Emma Ellis and Maddie Koch have all stepped up when their time came:
• Chinn set a career-high 11 kills and five digs vs. #22 Tennessee (9/18).
• Ellis tied her career-best 13 kills while setting a career-high .600 attack % vs. Lipscomb (9/11).
• Koch set career-highs vs. Rutgers with 10 kills. She is also hitting the most efficiently of her career, averaging a .280 attack %, including a .562 hitting % vs. Rutgers (10/2) and a perfect 3-0-3 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (9/17/21). Moreover, she tied a career-high two block assists vs. #RV Kansas (8/29).
THE TAKEDOWN OF #3 OHIO STATE, ROUND 1: 9/24/21
• After losing two straight sets, Purdue came from behind to take set four and force a fifth. The win marked the first victory over a top-3 opponent in Holloway since 2015 (last: vs. #3 Minnesota, W 3-2, 11/21/15).
• The Boilermakers out-blocked the Buckeyes 11-6.
• Purdue won its first five-set match since at Michigan State (11/29/19).
• The Boilermakers averaged a .216 hitting clip and held Ohio State to .210, which included 29 attack errors, which still holds as a season-lows for the Buckeyes.
• Freshman Raven Colvin was a difference-maker, starting the final two sets and registering six kills, no errors and a .667 attack % to go alongside two block assists.
• Jena Otec saw 29 receptions in the match and totaled 22 digs.
• Purdue forced 12 OSU service errors, the most Ohio State has suffered in Big Ten play this year.
• Shortly after, Holloway was ranked as the toughest place to play in the Big Ten, a testament to Boilermaker fans, as Mackey Arena received the same praise for men's basketball.
CONSISTENCE & EXCELLENCE: GRACE CLEVELAND
• 2020 AVCA First Team All-American Grace Cleveland has hit for double-digit kills in seven consecutive outings and 11 of the team's 15 matches this season.
• Cleveland owns one double-double this season vs. Illinois (10/1): 14 kills, 10 total blocks. Meanwhile, she was on the cusp vs. Ohio State (9/24): 15 kills, 9 digs and at Illinois (10/6): 17 kills, 9 digs.
• The Bloomington, Illinois native has hit above .400 six times this year, including the second-highest hitting % of her career, .750 vs. Rutgers (10/2). The attack % also tied as the 5th-most efficient performance in Purdue history in a three-setter (15-19 attempts).
• Earlier this season, Cleveland was named on the NCAA's top-16 offensive D1 players returning for 2021. She was joined more recently by teammate Jena Otec, who was named to the NCAA's top 10 liberos to watch.
• Cleveland is averaging 3.51 kills per set, up from the spring's 3.24 per set mark. Additionally, Cleveland is averaging a .335 hitting clip compared to last season's .295.
#7 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Series History: 45-47 (PUR Leads) | Last Meeting: Sept. 24, 2021 (W, 3-2 at PUR)
• Purdue's had Ohio State's number, having won the last seven straight meetings vs. Ohio State, dating back to Oct. 27, 2017. Meanwhile in the past 10 years, Purdue owns the 11-5 advantage.
• The Buckeyes lead the nation in kills per set (14.91). They are guided by Emily Londot with 3.87 per set. She was held to a season-low 17 errors and season-high 63 attempts at Purdue earlier this season.
• Ohio State is holding opponents to a .151 attack % while hitting .297.
• Kylie Murr was named one of the NCAA's liberos to watch, joining Purdue's Jena Otec. She is averaging 4.61 digs per set, second in the Big Ten.
• Setter Mac Podraza is second in the nation and 2nd in the league with 12.02 assists per set.
• Ohio State is 1st in the nation in kills per set and assists per set, along with 6th in hitting %.
#15 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Series History: 8-58 (PSU Leads) | Last Meeting: March 6, 2021 (L, 1-3 at PSU)
• Purdue and Penn State both rank in the top four in the league in kills, blocks and hitting %. Ohio State is the only other program who can boast the same.
• Although the series favors Penn State heavily, in the last four meetings, Purdue and Penn State are split evenly, trading off a win each match.
• Purdue split the spring matchups in State College, winning 3-1 on March 5, before losing to the same score the night after.
• Sunday will be the first time Purdue has hosted Penn State in two years (last: Oct. 10, 2018, 3-1 PSU).
• Neither team has swept the other since November 19, 2016 (3-0, PSU).
• Penn State ranks 2nd in the nation and league in blocks per set (3.13). Meanwhile they are 10th in hitting % (.282).
• Leading the block is Kaitlyn Hord, who ranks 5th nationally with 1.58 blocks per set.
• Meanwhile, Allie Holland is averaging .406 % on the attack, good for 21st in the nation and 4th in the Big Ten.