Boilermaker Challenge On Deck

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 14
Illinois vs. USC
5:30 p.m. ET | BTN

#17 Purdue vs. UCF
8 p.m. ET | BTN | WSHY 104.3
 
Friday, September 15
Illinois vs. UCF
5:30 p.m. ET | BTN

#17 Purdue vs. USC
8 p.m. ET | BTN | WSHY 104.3
 
 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 17 Purdue volleyball team enters its final week of non-conference play with the Boilermaker Challenge.
 
The Boilermakers (5-2), riding a four-match winning streak, will play a pair of opponents that are receiving votes in the latest AVCA/Taraflex Coaches Poll: vs. UCF (8-1) on Thursday and vs. future Big Ten-member USC (4-4) on Friday. Both matches will air on Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. ET.
 
 
HAMMER DOWN CANCER: FRIDAY VS. USC

• Purdue's Hammer Down Cancer match takes place Friday. The Boilermakers are auctioning off specialty Hammer Down Cancer uniforms online, which are currently open to fans. Bidding closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday. Click here to bid on a jersey.
• The Boilermakers will also be playing in special uniforms, featuring Purdue's "volt" color in honor of the Hammer Down Cancer efforts.

 
LAST WEEK AT A GLANCE

• Purdue improved to a four-match win streak after taking down SMU 3-1 and #19 Kentucky (3-2).
• Chloe Chicoine received Player and Freshman of the Week honors and Taylor Anderson was named Setter of the Week for their performances vs. SMU and #19 Kentucky.
• Purdue recorded eight individual season-highs during the match vs. SMU.
• The Boilermakers saw some of its most efficient and balanced offenses over the weekend, with a team season-best .346 attack % vs. SMU and a season set-high of .462% vs. #19 Kentucky.

 
THE DYNAMIC DUO: EVA HUDSON & CHLOE CHICOINE

• Purdue is the only Big Ten team to have two players rank in the top-10 in kills per set or points per set: 
• Kills per set: Chloe Chicoine (4th with 4.10) Eva Hudson (9th with 3.52).
• Points per set: Chicoine (4th with 4.50) and Hudson (10th with 3.90).

STATS TO WATCH

• Purdue is two matches away from its 1,000th program win.

BIG TEN PLAYER & FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: CHLOE CHICOINE

• Led all Big Ten players in Week 3 with her career-high 24 kills vs. #19 Kentucky (24-6-48). The performance also included a career-high 25 points and a career-high .375 attack %.
• Named MVP of the Stacey Clark Classic as Purdue posted back-to-back victories with a 3-1 win vs. SMU and a 3-2 win vs. #19 Kentucky.
• Hit at a .361 clip vs. SMU (17 kills, just four errors on 36 swings).
• Posted a double-double vs. SMU (17 kills, 10 digs).
• Averaged 4.89 points per set and 4.56 kills per set.

BIG TEN SETTER OF THE WEEK: TAYLOR ANDERSON

• Led the Big Ten with 11.33 assists per set last week.
• Anderson is the first setter since Minnesota's Melanie Shaffmaster to receive Setter of the Week honors as a freshman.
• In her first career start, Taylor Anderson registered 56 assists, the most by a Boilermaker since 2019 (Hayley Bush in 5 sets vs. Indiana, 10/9/19), coupled with a career-high six total blocks (1-5) and an errorless 3 kills (.600%). Meanwhile, the last time a Boilermaker has posted as many in a four-setter was in 2017.
• Moreover, in her first career start, the freshman guided the team to its most efficient match of the year: .346% vs. SMU.
• Guided Purdue to its most efficient set of the season with Purdue's .462% (16-4-26) hitting % in the third set vs. #19 Kentucky.
• Recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 digs and 46 assists vs. #19 Kentucky.
• Produced three kills, a career-best (3-0-6, .600%) alongside a career-best five blocks vs. SMU.
• Received Stacey Clark Classic All-Tournament Team recognition.

SCOUTING THE UCF KNIGHTS

• The matchup vs. Purdue will be UCF's first battle against a ranked opponent this year.
• UCF leads the nation in serving, averaging 2.73 per set and posted 11 aces last week vs. Florida State. 
• The Knights have seven newcomers on the roster
• An efficient offense includes ranking 10th in the nation in hitting % (.327) and 11th in team kills (344). As a team, the Knights average 18.00 points a set while holding opponents to 12.61.
• Emily Wilson has led the team in kills and or digs six times this season, including 16 kills vs. Mississippi State.
•  UCF is on a three-match win streak. Its one loss of the season came in five sets vs. Wake Forest.

SCOUTING THE USC TROJANS

• USC is on a three-match win streak and are coming off a 3-1 victory vs. San Diego.
• The team is currently receiving votes in the latest AVCA/Taraflex poll and have been ranked as high as #22 in the preseason release. 
• Two conference Player of the Weeks will face off on Friday, with both USC's Skylar Fields was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week and Purdue's Chloe Chicoine selected Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week.
• Fields produces two-thirds of the team's offense with 5.14 kills per set (378 kills) this season, with Kalyah Williams averaging 2.0 kills per set (172 total).
• Defensively, Lindsey Miller leads the blocking effort with 1.31 blocks per set and Gala Trubint averaging 3.55 digs per game.
• USC is averaging a .250 attack % on the year, while holding opponents to .197%.