PURDUE DROPS BIG TEN OPENER AT IOWA
By Kathleen Offer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. ? The Purdue volleyball team saw its six-match win streak broken when Iowa handed the Boilermakers a 15-11, 15-7, 9-15, 15-13 loss in the Big Ten opener for both teams in Iowa City tonight. It was Purdue?s second loss and Iowa?s second win of the season. The Boilermakers are now 8-2 (0-1 Big Ten), while the Hawkeyes improve to 2-6 (1-0 Big Ten). This marks the first time Iowa has won its conference opener since 1995.
The loss wasn?t for a lack of trying. The Boilermakers outhit the Hawkeyes .241to .231 and outdug them 75 to 66. But somehow Iowa managed to eke out the win behind 22 kills by Sara Meyermann and 20 kills by Julie Williams. Both registered 16 kills, as well, to lead Iowa?s defensive effort.
For the Boilermakers, it was once again Aneska Arosarena and Julie Doud who led Purdue?s cause. Both recorded 25 kills, with Arosarena matching a career high with 20 digs. Connie Paul contributed her second double-double of the season (10 kills and 12 digs), while Sarah Emke added 13 kills and five blocks.
But those numbers did not add up to victory for Purdue, which fell to 2-2 in four-game matches this season.
Things started off well enough, as two kills by Christy Case and two Boiler blocks helped Purdue to a 4-1 lead in Game 1. Purdue?s edge quickly eroded , however, as Iowa went on a 5-1 run to go ahead 6-5. A Boilermaker timeout tried to change the momentum, but the Hawkeyes rattled off five straight points to build their lead to six. Purdue cut the margin to three at 13-10 on a kill by Aneska Arosarena, then snipped it even further on an Iowa error, which brought the Boilers to within two at 13-11. But that was as close as Purdue could get, as Iowa scored the last two points unanswered to pull out the 15-11 victory.
The Hawkeyes raced out to a 4-1 lead in Game 2, then went on a 5-1 run with three service aces by Julie Williams to go up 9-2. The Boilermakers closed the gap to two at 9-7, but two more service aces by Williams and another Hawkeye kill put Iowa ahead by five at 12-7. The cushion proved impenetrable to Purdue, and Iowa scored three more points down the stretch to win 15-7.
Good serving by Sarah Emke helped the Boilers turn things around at the start of Game 3. An Emke ace put Purdue up 4-2, and keyed a run that saw the Old Gold and Black build an 8-2 advantage, their largest of the match. A block by Emke and Julie Doud pushed the Boiler lead to 12-3, but Iowa, behind more quality serving by Williams, stormed back to reach within five at 14-9. It looked as if the Hawkeyes might make a run to get even closer, but a kill by Doud put Purdue back in control at game point. An ace by Maegan Petersen sealed the deal, giving the Boilers a 15-9 victory.
Purdue grabbed a 4-1 lead to open Game 4, then increased it to 6-1 on an Iowa error and a block by Arosarena and Connie Paul. But much like in Game 1, the Boiler lead evaporated, with Iowa blocking its way back into the game to go ahead 10-7. Purdue came roaring back, though, using its own strong blocking by Emke, Doud and Petersen and an ace by Paul to reclaim the lead at 11-10. The Boilers went up 13-10 on an Emke kill and an Iowa error, but Iowa knotted the score at 13-apiece on an ace by Bridget Frideres. Iowa took the go-ahead point on a block, then closed out the match with a kill by Williams.
Purdue has one night to regroup before facing Minnesota in Minneapolis tomorrow at 7 p.m. The Golden Gophers were 9-3 heading into a home match tonight against No. 15 Wisconsin. The match can be heard live on WAZY-1410 AM and on www.purduesports.com.