Purdue Set for Matches at #2 Nebraska, Iowa

Friday, October 11
8:30 p.m. ET | #10 Purdue at #2 Nebraska | BTN | WSHY 104.3 FM
 
Saturday, October 12
7 p.m. ET | #10 Purdue at Iowa | B1G+ | WSHY 104.3 FM
 

West Lafayette, Ind. – Riding a three-match winning streak, the No. 10 Purdue Boilermakers (12-3, 3-1 Big Ten) are set for two road matches within 24 hours. First, Purdue will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, to take on No. 2 Nebraska on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network. Then, the team will head to Coralville, Iowa, for a 7 p.m. ET match on Saturday, which will be streamed on B1G+.


SCHEDULE NOTES

• Purdue is wrapping up a stretch this week where the team is on the road for 11 of 13 matches.
• Purdue recently wrapped up a stretch of playing five top-16 foes in six matches, which included three straight top-10 showdowns. 
• The match vs. Nebraska will be Purdue's fifth top-10 match this season. The Boilers are 1-3 so far in those matches, however all three losses are to teams currently in the top eight in the AVCA pol

LAST WEEK'S NEED-TO-KNOW

• Purdue went 2-0 last week, picking up a 3-1 win at Northwestern and a 3-0 sweep vs. Michigan State.
• Dave Shondell reached 470 wins at Purdue  on Sunday, becoming the all-time winningest head coach in program history.
• The team made 71 digs despite just 3 sets of action vs. Michigan State, setting a program record in a three-set match during the current 25-point rally scoring era.
• Kenna Wollard led the team last week (at Northwestern and vs. Michigan State) in kills per set (3.71), setting a career-high and team-leading 18 kills at Northwestern while on a .438 clip.
• Purdue reached its first double-digit block performance of Big Ten play with 11 vs. Michigan State.
• The team held Northwestern to a .183 attack % and Michigan State to .104%.

PURDUE VS. NEBRASKA: HISTORY AT A GLANCE

• Last season, #17 Purdue lost in a five sets to #2 Nebraska (25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 25-19, 12-15). The match saw 37 tied scores over the set, including 21 lead changes in one of the longest matches of the seaosn for either team. In the 5th set, Nebraska out-scored Purdue 4-2 to close the match and win it.
• The last win vs. Nebraska came in 2019, when the Boilers took down the #5 Huskers, 3-2 (10/26/19).
• Purdue has won two matches at Nebraska: 3-1 on 10/19/13 and 3-0 on 11/6/82.

PURDUE VS. IOWA: HISTORY AT A GLANCE

• Purdue has won the last 11 consecutive matches against Iowa and are 22-15 in true away matches.
• The last time Purdue played in Coralville was 2022, when the team took down the Hawkeyes, 3-1.
• A five-set match has not been played between the two programs at Iowa since 2018 (W, 3-2 on 10/13/18).

ALL-TIME WINNINGEST HEAD COACH IN PROGRAM HISTORY

• With the sweep vs. Michigan State on Sunday, HC Dave Shondell became the all-time winningest head coach in Purdue volleyball history, surpassing AVCA Hall of Famer Carol Dewey, with his 470th win.
• Shondell is one of two active head coaches in the Big Ten with as many wins at their institution (joined by John Cook) and is one of seven among Power 4 programs.

PROGRAM RECORDS FALLING

• Since Big Ten play has started, five program records have been set or tied: Most team aces in a 5-set match during the rally-scoring era (17 at then-#16 Minnesota); Most aces by an individual in a 5-set match during the rally-scoring era (7 by Raven Colvin at then-#16 Minnesota); Most aces by a freshman (6 by Ryan McAleer); Most team digs in a 3-set match in the current 25-point rally scoring (71 vs. Michigan State); Most wins in program history (Dave Shondell, 470).
• Meanwhile, the program is poised for the home attendance record to fall next weekend with its Mackey match vs. Indiana already sold out.

PURDUE: QUICK HITS

• Purdue led all Power 4 programs last week in digs per set (19.57), an effort led by Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week Ali Hornung' s 5.71 per set. 
• The team is #11 in the nation in blocks per set (2.89), 16th in kills per set (13.91) and 20th in hitting % (.277).
• Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine were named to the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List.
• Three Boilers are averaging 2.5 kills per set or higher: Hudson (4.09), Chicoine (3.28) and Colvin (2.68).
• Purdue is 38-15 in sets won this season.
• The Boilers are averaging .277 hitting %. To put in perspective, it would rank as #3 in Purdue single-season history if things were to end today.
• Raven Colvin is #2 in the nation in blocks and is averaging a .439 hitting %, which would set a program record if the season were to end today. To put in perspective, the current season-record is .409% (First Team All-American Stephanie Lynch in 2008). 
• Freshman DS Ryan McAleer has recorded a perfect reception % in 10 matches. Moreover, she recorded six aces at #16 Minnesota, tying as the most-ever by a Purdue freshman.
• Eva Hudson nearly had an errorless match at now-#8 Kansas, committing just one attack error in the final points of the match. This season, she is averaging 4.09 kills per set and 4.52 points per set this season.
• Chloe Chicoine owns a team-leading six double-doubles this season.

SCOUTING THE #2 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

• Nebraska has taken on six top-25 opponents, including four top-10 programs and two top-5. In those matches, the Huskers are 6-0 and have dropped just three sets. 
• Middle Rebekah Alllick is coming of a shared Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor alongside Purdue's Ali Hornung. Allick averaged 2.00 blocks per set last week to go with an offensive performance that included a .455 hitting % and 2.17 kills per set during the team's sweeps of Illinois and Iowa.
• Nebraska ranks 7th nationally in hitting % (.298), and 13th in kills per set (14.02).
• In the midst of a breakout season, middle Andi Jackson ranks #5 in the nation in hitting % (.475).
• A balanced offensive attack includes six players averaging over two kills a set, led by Harper Murray's 3.12.

SCOUTING THE IOWA HAWKEYES

• Saturday's match vs. Purdue will mark Iowa's third top-25 matchup in four matches.
• Malu Garcia leads the team in points and kills (2.73 kills per set and 3.26 points per set).
• Iowa's strong serving includes a 99 aces this season, good for fourth-most in the league.
• As a team, Iowa is hitting .219 on the season and holding opponents to a .221 clip. 
• Defensively, Joy Galles leads the league in digs (248) while Gracie Gibson ranks #5 in the league in block assists (59).

BIG TEN CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: ALI HORNUNG

• Libero Ali Hornung received her first career Big Ten weekly honor as Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
• Over the last three matches, she's totaled 64 digs and leads the team with 5.33 digs per set.
• Posted 18 digs and a perfect reception % after 27 attempts at Northwestern.
• Recorded 22 digs vs. Michigan State in the three-set win, a performance that included 10 digs in Set 1 alone.
• Knocked on the door of a double-double with 10 digs, 7 assists vs. #10 Kentucky.
• Eva Hudson is averaging 3.00 digs per set, second-most on the team.

PURDUE NOTES: LAST 3 MATCHES

• The Boilers are averaging a .264 hitting clip while holding opponents to a .181%.
• The team is out-digging opponents 18.00 digs per set vs. 15.00.
• Four Boilers are hitting over .400: Raven Colvin (.429%), Lourdes Myers (.407%) and Kenna Wollard (.403%).
• Kenna Wollard leads the outside hitters in hitting % while averaging 2.75 kills per set (third on the team).
• Ali Hornung has racked up 64 digs in three matches, leading the team with 5.33 per set.
• Taylor Anderson is averaging 11.50  assists per set, 2.75 digs per set and .58 blocks per set.