Aug. 31, 2002
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Boilermaker volleyball team, registered the team's first 4-0 start since 1998 after defeating the Western Carolina Catamounts 3-0, Saturday afternoon, en route to claiming the Lady Raider Tournament title. Purdue toppled the Catamounts 30-22, 30-16, 30-22.
"This is a new team so we are not really looking at the past, we are looking at this team and what they can do," head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer said after the win. "I was really pleased with the performance we had this weekend. I thought offensively we took some steps and we are starting to learn to play competitively."
Purdue continued to build on its quick start in the team's final match of the weekend winning the opening point for the seventh-straight game. Consistency continued as the Boilermakers took control of the game from the start, mounting a 14-6 lead. The margin extended to nine at 17-8 before an excellent series featuring a Renata Dargan (Fr., New Lenox, IL) solo block and a Tiffany Yoskey (Sr., Canal Fulton, OH) ace, upped the lead to 12. The Catamounts made a late push, pulling to within seven twice before two errors and a Jen Bova (Jr., Milwaukee, WI) kill game Purdue the game, 30-22.
The Boilermakers' momentum carried over into game two, with the team notching the first three points before taking off on a 10-4 run. Western Carolina nudged back into the game with a 6-3 effort of its own, bringing the game to 16-10 shortly thereafter. The squads traded points until the 24-15 mark, when the Boilermakers saw kills from Yoskey, Bova and Joanna Lowry (Jr, Glen Ellyn, IL) to move within two points of the game. After a pause at 28-16, a Western Carolina service error followed by a Kim McConaha (So., Centerville, IN) kill wrapped up game two at 30-16.
In what seems to have become a trademark 2002 style, Purdue had to work from behind for the victory after letting Western Carolina back into the match early in game three. (Purdue trailed its opponents in the third game in each of its four tournament matches, before coming back and taking the game.)
The Catamounts owned a 10-4 advantage over the Boilermakers before a Bova kill turned the tide in Purdue's direction. The kill kicked off a 13-3 run, which included a seven-point serving stand by Marie Franke, and featured a service ace and several key blocks. Just one rally later, Purdue was back on track, beginning another seven point string with Lowry at the service line, taking the advantage to 24-14 Boilermakers. The Catamounts countered with a 5-2 run, bringing the score to 26-19 Purdue. The teams exchanged points to the 28-22 mark, before Lowry finished off the match with two kills, securing her spot as tournament MVP.
Lowry led the Gold and Black with her second double-double of the weekend, following a 20 kill, 15 dig effort Friday night versus Middle Tennessee, putting down 12 kills and registering 11 digs. Bova joined Lowry with an 11 kill, 11 dig effort of her own, while freshman Marie Franke (Ballwin, MO) led the team with 12 digs. Bova also hit a match-high .409, leading the squad's .256 effort. Tricia Eble led the Catamounts with nine kills, while Shari Harder tallied 15 digs for Western Carolina.
Sophomore Kim McConaha earned all-tournament team honors after totaling 40 kills and 21 blocks on the weekend to go with seven aces and seven digs. McConaha led the team in kills with 14 in the season-opener versus Evansville. Lowry boasted 49 kills, including the 20 kill performance, 45 digs, four aces and eight blocks on the weekend.
The Boilermakers will now prepare to play host to the 12th Annual Mortar Board Purdue Premiere, Friday and Saturday in West Lafayette. The Gold and Black will take on Western Kentucky, IPFW, Delaware and Butler in the home tournament.
"We wanted to come out of here with the title and be 4-0, so we are definitely where we want to be, but we still have more to go," Hulsmeyer said. "I think we will be ready next week when we have to go again at Mortar Board."