Stacey Clark Classic on Deck

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, September 8
#19 Kentucky vs. #21 Houston
4 p.m. ET | B1G+
 
SMU at #20 Purdue
7 p.m. ET | B1G+ | Radio: WSHY 104.3
 
Saturday, September 9
SMU vs. TBD*
4 p.m. ET | B1G+
 
#20 Purdue vs. TBD*
7 p.m. ET | B1G+ | WSHY 104.3
 
*Opponent will be either #19 Kentucky or #21 Houston based on Friday's results.
 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After a pair of top-25 victories last week, the No. 20 Purdue volleyball team returns to Holloway Gymnasium for the Stacey Clark Classic this weekend.

Purdue will welcome SMU, No. 19 Kentucky and No. 21 Houston in a true bracket-style tournament, where winners from Friday's matches will determine opponents for Saturday.
 
LAST WEEK AT A GLANCE

• Within 24 hours, Purdue took down two high-ranked opponents with a pair of five-set victories at #23 Kansas and vs. #19 Marquette at the Kansas Invitational.
• Combined, the two matches took five hours and 20 minutes, and saw 56 tied scores during that time.
• Eva Hudson went on a scoring tear over the final two sets in both matches, recording 12 kills between Sets 4 and 5 vs. #19 Marquette, including a .500 hitting % in Set 5 (6 kills, 1 error on 9 attacks). Meanwhile, the night before, Hudson posted 10 kills over the final two sets.
• Chloe Chicoine led the offense with 41.5 points last week while Hudson recorded 39 points and led the team in attack % (.280).
• Graduate transfer Lorrin Poulter started both matches as setter, recording 8.00 assists per set over her six sets played. Meanwhile, freshman setter Taylor Anderson came off the bench in both matches to help put away the victories, averaging 9.80 assists per set in her five total sets played.
• Chicoine was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Tuesday after posting a team-leading 41.5 points.

 
THE DYNAMIC DUO: EVA HUDSON & CHLOE CHICOINE

• Together, the underclassmen both rank in the top-10 in the Big Ten in kills (Chicoine: 3.91 per set, Hudson: 3.45 per set).
• Chicoine also ranks fifth in the league in points per set (4.34).
• The duo was critical in both comeback victories last weekend in Lawrence, Kansas.
• Hudson posted back-to-back doubles to guide the team to the two top-25 victories. Against #19 Marquette, Hudson went on a scoring tear over the final two sets, registering 12 kills between Sets 4 and 5. In Set 5, Hudson posted a .533 hitting % (6 kills, 1 error, 9 attacks). At #23 Kansas, Hudson posted 10 kills over the final two sets.
• Chicoine's performance at #23 Kansas included a .400% (5 kills, 1 error, 10 attacks) in Set 4 to help push the match to five, where she then added six digs in the fifth set alone. The next night, Chicoine recorded four kills and hit .500% in Set 5 vs. #19 Marquette.

 
LIBERO MADDIE SCHERMERHORN

• Schermerhorn is coming off a season-high 22 dig performance in the win vs. #19 Marquette last Friday.
• She has anchored the Boilermakers as their libero in every match this season.
• Schermerhorn led the team in digs over Week 2, averaging 3.70 per set.
• Posted a key seven digs in the fourth set alone vs. #19 Marquette to push the match to five.
• Totaled 37 digs in under 24 hours as Purdue went 2-0 on the road against top-25 programs last week.
• Was named to the Purdue Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier All-Tournament Team in Week 1.
• The 2022 Second Team All-Big Ten honoree is averaging 4.09 digs per set this season and is 19 digs away from reaching her 1,000th career dig.
• Schermerhorn will become the 21st Boilermaker in program history to join the 1,000 dig club.
• Ranks 3rd in program history for most digs per set in a single season, recording 4.62 in 2022.

 
SCOUTING THE SMU MUSTANGS

• SMU is coming off a 3-2 victory vs. #14 Baylor on Wednesday night in the Mustangs' home opener - the program's highest ranked win in its history. Other notable wins this season include a sweep of Florida State, which was receiving votes in the poll.
• SMU runs a high-powered offensive attack, which saw three different Mustangs record double-digit kills for the third time this season during the victory over Baylor. Natalie Perdue led the team with 16 kills and 13 digs while Emma Clothier added 13 kills alongside a season-high seven blocks and a .550 hitting %.

 
SCOUTING THE #19 KENTUCKY WILDCATS

• Purdue will potentially meet against Kentucky on Saturday for the first time since the Spring 2021 NCAA Tournament, where the Wildcats swept the Boilermakers in the NCAA Regional Finals on their way to winning the National Title.
• Kentucky is on a two-match losing streak after facing a pair of losses to #10 Pitt in a home-and-away series.
• While Kentucky is producing more kills compared to opponents (13.33 per set vs. 12.80), they are also committing more attack errors (91 vs. 61).
• Top players include Reagan Rutherford (3.80 kills per set, 2.60 digs per set), setter Emma Grome (10.60 assists per set), Eleanor Beavin (3.27 digs per set, 4 aces) and Elise Goetzinger (.318 hitting %, 3.44 kills per set).

 
SCOUTING THE #21 HOUSTON COUGARS

• Houston joined the Big 12 on July 1 and entered the AVCA poll for the first time since 1994 and have been ranked as high as #13 this season.
• Kellen Morin was Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 29 and currently ranks 14th in the nation with 1.59 blocks per set.
• As a team, Houston is the Big 12 leader with 16.17 digs per set, an effort led by Kate Georgiades' 4.28 digs per set.
• The attack is led by Abbie Jackson's 3.61 kills per set (.243 attack %) and leads the team with 73 points.
• Houston as played one ranked team: then-#22 USC in the season-opener, winning 3-1 on its home court.