WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In a battle of grit, the No. 8 Purdue volleyball squad came out on top versus No. 21 USC, 3-0 (25-22, 29-27, 25-20) on Senior Night. The Boilermakers came from behind in both Sets 1 and 2 before pulling away in the final frame. Purdue improves to 23-6 (14-4 Big Ten) with the result, while USC falls to 19-9 (11-7 Big Ten).
The Boilermakers out-blocked the Trojans, 11.5-8, which saw 8.5 blocks through the first two sets of action. On the night, Purdue hit .265 while holding USC to .227%.
Senior middle blocker Raven Colvin led the team with a .500 efficiency, which included 14 kills (14-3-22) and seven blocks, three of which came in solo fashion. Her offensive performance marked her eighth .500 attack % (or better) of the season and her first double-digit kill performance in 11 matches. Moreover, it was her most well-rounded (offensive and defensive) performance of Big Ten play this season.
In the battle of Set 2, Purdue came back from a 20-23 deficit to tie the match, 24-24. A battle ensued, which included one USC set point and three for Purdue before the Boilermakers closed the door on an Eva Hudson kill. A well-rounded attack also saw Chloe Chicoine, Lourdes Myers and Raven Colvin all produce key kills during the extra-point hunt.
Hudson led the team with 18 kills, producing seven digs and four block assists in the match. Eight of her kills came in Set 2, including the set-winning kill at 29-27.
Senior Ali Hornung anchored the back row with a team-leading 15 digs, adding five assists in the match. Meanwhile, fellow defensive specialist Ryan McAleer recorded seven digs while tying a Big Ten match career-high three assists.
Setter Taylor Anderson settled in as the match progressed, registering a double-double 37 assists, 10 digs. She went errorless on the attack, going a perfect 4-for-4 over the first two sets. She rounded out the night with a trio of block assists.
With the result, the Boilermaker seniors of Colvin, Hornung, Myers, Sydney Yim, Emily Rastovski and Raven Gray have amassed 93 wins since 2021, including 17 wins vs. top-25 opponents and eight wins vs. top-10 teams.
The No. 8 Boilermakers will spend their final week of the regular season on the west coast. First, a 2023 NCAA Regional Semifinal rematch and current top-11 showdown is on the docket in Eugune, Oregon on Wednesday, November 27, as No. 8 Purdue and No. 11 Oregon face off at 10:30 p.m. ET. Then, Purdue will spend Thanksgiving in Seattle before taking on Washington, a team receiving votes in the AVCA poll, on Friday, November 29 at 7 p.m. ET. Both matches will air on Big Ten Network.
The Boilermakers stand in fourth place in the Big Ten standings, one match behind Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Oregon sits below Purdue at fifth, just one match behind the Boilermakers. USC sits in sixth.
The Boilermakers out-blocked the Trojans, 11.5-8, which saw 8.5 blocks through the first two sets of action. On the night, Purdue hit .265 while holding USC to .227%.
Senior middle blocker Raven Colvin led the team with a .500 efficiency, which included 14 kills (14-3-22) and seven blocks, three of which came in solo fashion. Her offensive performance marked her eighth .500 attack % (or better) of the season and her first double-digit kill performance in 11 matches. Moreover, it was her most well-rounded (offensive and defensive) performance of Big Ten play this season.
In the battle of Set 2, Purdue came back from a 20-23 deficit to tie the match, 24-24. A battle ensued, which included one USC set point and three for Purdue before the Boilermakers closed the door on an Eva Hudson kill. A well-rounded attack also saw Chloe Chicoine, Lourdes Myers and Raven Colvin all produce key kills during the extra-point hunt.
Hudson led the team with 18 kills, producing seven digs and four block assists in the match. Eight of her kills came in Set 2, including the set-winning kill at 29-27.
Senior Ali Hornung anchored the back row with a team-leading 15 digs, adding five assists in the match. Meanwhile, fellow defensive specialist Ryan McAleer recorded seven digs while tying a Big Ten match career-high three assists.
Setter Taylor Anderson settled in as the match progressed, registering a double-double 37 assists, 10 digs. She went errorless on the attack, going a perfect 4-for-4 over the first two sets. She rounded out the night with a trio of block assists.
With the result, the Boilermaker seniors of Colvin, Hornung, Myers, Sydney Yim, Emily Rastovski and Raven Gray have amassed 93 wins since 2021, including 17 wins vs. top-25 opponents and eight wins vs. top-10 teams.
The No. 8 Boilermakers will spend their final week of the regular season on the west coast. First, a 2023 NCAA Regional Semifinal rematch and current top-11 showdown is on the docket in Eugune, Oregon on Wednesday, November 27, as No. 8 Purdue and No. 11 Oregon face off at 10:30 p.m. ET. Then, Purdue will spend Thanksgiving in Seattle before taking on Washington, a team receiving votes in the AVCA poll, on Friday, November 29 at 7 p.m. ET. Both matches will air on Big Ten Network.
The Boilermakers stand in fourth place in the Big Ten standings, one match behind Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Oregon sits below Purdue at fifth, just one match behind the Boilermakers. USC sits in sixth.