EAST LANSING, Mich. – After a dominating first two sets by No. 10 Purdue volleyball, Michigan State fought back to push the match to five sets, which the Boilermakers prevailed, 25-22, 25-16, 25-27, 23-25, 15-12. The effort was powered by 19 Purdue blocks, including four in the final frame, as the squad came from behind with an 8-2 run to clinch the match.
Purdue’s 19 blocks were the most in a Big Ten match since its 19 at Ohio State in 2021.
With the victory, the Boilermakers improve to 18-3 (9-2 Big Ten) and remain undefeated on the road this season at 13-0 (9-0 away, 4-0 neutral site). Purdue closes the Big Ten | Discover Challenge undefeated at 5-0, after winning all weekday matches (Wednesday-Friday) in October. The Boilermakers tied with No. 1 nationally-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, however tiebreaker procedures robbed the squad of a shared title.
The Boilermakers will stay in Michigan, headed for Ann Arbor for a Sunday matinee against the Wolverines. The match is set for a 2 p.m. ET first serve on B1G+.
Boiler Notes
- Purdue remains undefeated on the road at 13-0 (9-0 away, 4-0 neutral).
- Grace Heaney secured her second consecutive double-double behind a career-high 18 digs and errorless offensive performance with 15 kills on a .405 clip and a career-high-tying six blocks.
- Heaney has now gone errorless on the attack in three matches this season – all of which have come in performances with at least 30 attempts.
- Kenna Wollard totaled 26 kills to lead all players, second-most kills in her career with a near-double-double of 7 digs.
- Julia Kane set a career-high 15 digs.
- Coming off a 22-dig performance vs. #20 Minnesota, which Ryan McAleer set a career-high for Big Ten matches, the sophomore bested the mark, registering 23 digs.
- The middles combined for all 19 blocks as both Bianka Lulic and Dior Charles set new career-bests while wearing the Purdue jersey. In fact, Lulic set a new overall career-high with her 10 block performance (1 solo, 9 assisted) and Charles with nine (2 solo, 7 assisted).
- Lulic led the team in efficiency, totaling eight kills and one error on 16 attacks for a .438 clip.
- Taylor Anderson, coming of a Big Ten Setter of the Week award, dished out 51 assists, five blocks, five kills, four digs and an ace.
- The 19 team blocks were the most in a Big Ten match since 2021 (at Ohio State, 10/15/2021).
- Purdue set a season-high .548 attack % in Set 2.