WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Riding a two-match winning streak, the No. 19 Purdue volleyball is set to take on its sixth top-25 opponent on Sunday with its trip to No. 11 Penn State. The match is set for 1 p.m. ET on FS1.
PURDUE AT A GLANCE
- The Boilermakers are 4-1 over the last five matches and have won two straight vs. teams receiving votes in the AVCA/Taraflex Coaches' Poll.
- Purdue is fourth in the Big Ten standings and fourth in hitting %.
- Two Boilermakers are in sole possession of #1 in the league for the respective statistical categories: Maddie Schermerhorn (4.27 digs per set) and Raven Colvin (102 total blocks).
- Purdue will be looking for its first win vs. Penn State since its 3-1 victory on March 5, 2021, which came in University Park, Pa.
- Overall, Purdue is 9-59 all-time vs. Penn State, including 4-29 in away matches.
PURDUE DOWNS INDIANA, 3-1
- Purdue will enter the Penn State match off a 3-1 victory against in-state rival, Indiana.
- The Boilermakers posted a season-high 16 total blocks in the match and the most since the 2022 Big Ten season-finale at Penn State (17, 11/25/22).
- Eva Hudson recorded 19 kills for the second straight match, leading the team.
- Purdue got out to early leads in Set 1 (9-3 lead), Set 2 (11-3 lead) and Set 4 (11-4 lead).
- Raven Colvin produced the seventh errorless match of her career, including first of the season, with her seven kills on 14 attacks, in addition to a season-high 11 total blocks (1-10). Meanwhile, her .500 attack % was her most efficient performance of Big Ten play this year.
- Four Boilermakers secured season-highs or better: Lourdès Myers career-high 11 kills, Raven Colvin's season-high 11 blocks and Big Ten season-high .500 attack %, Grace Heaney's career-high six blocks and Chloe Chicoine's career-high-tying three blocks.
SCOUTING THE PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
- The Nittany Lions have played seven matches against ranked teams this season and have gone 3-4 in them, which includes a 2-1 record against ranked Big Ten teams
- Penn State reloaded their roster this season by adding five transfers; 2nd team All-American setter Mac Podraza (Ohio State), 2nd team All-ACC right-side hitter Camryn Hannah (Clemson), 1st team All-Big Ten outside hitter Jess Mruzik (Michigan), Big South Setter of the Year Ally Van Eekeren (High Point), 2nd team All-Sun Belt defensive specialist Lina Perugini (Coastal Carolina). Of these five transfers, three of them frequently start and combine for over 400 kills and 650 assists this season.
- The Nittany Lions' attack is led by Jess Mruzik who ranks 17th in the country and 3rd in the Big Ten with 4.34 kills per set. Her teammates, Camryn Hannah and Alexa Markley, also average over 2.40 kills a set.
- Mac Podraza controls the attack averaging 11.46 assists per set which is good enough for 2nd in the Big Ten and 35th in the country.
- On the defensive side of the net, Penn State leads the Big Ten in blocks per set averaging 2.92. They are led by Allie Holland who contributed 1.44 blocks per set, ranking 2nd in the Big Ten.
STAT COMPARISON: PURDUE & PENN STATE
- Penn State is 3-3 this season vs. top-25 opponents while Purdue is 3-2.
- Overall, both teams are about even in hitting % this season at .254 (Penn State) and .252 (Purdue).
- Purdue's blocking has improved during Big Ten play, averaging 2.56 blocks per set during league action, while Penn State's has lowered to 2.66 blocks per set.
PURDUE AMONG THE BIG TEN
- The team ranks No. 4 in the league with .252 hitting % on the season, fifth in kills (13.03 per set) and assists (11.89) and third in opponent blocks (1.82 per set).
- Six Boilermakers rank among the league's top-10 in at least one category: Maddie Schermerhorn (#1 with 4.27 digs per set), Raven Colvin (#1 with 102 total blocks), Taylor Anderson (#4 with 9.36 assists per set), Eva Hudson (#3 in kills with 293 and #3 with 319 points) and Chloe Chicoine (#4 with 312 points and #4 with 279 kills).
- Purdue allowed just two blocks by Iowa, marking the fewest by a Big Ten opponent since 2021 (2 by Northwestern, 11/21/21).
- Looking at Big Ten-only matches, Purdue is fourth in the league in assists, kills, blocks and hitting %. Meanwhile, it is #1 in total blocks and #3 in total kills