Aug. 31, 2002
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Boilermaker volleyball team topped Chicago State in three games, 30-16, 30-14 and 30-21, Saturday afternoon in Lady Raider Tournament action.
With the victory, the Gold and Black opened their 2002 campaign with a 3-0 record, only marking the first time the team had started the seasons with three wins since 1998 and only the second in 10 years.
The Boilermakers (3-0) got on a roll in game one, putting together a string of nine straight points, served by sophomore Kim McConaha (Centerville, IN), including an ace and four Jen Bova (Jr., Milwaukee, WI) kills and two blocks to go up 12-3. The team never relinquished the lead, never allowing the point difference to below nine the rest of the game. Leading 29-16, and hitting .438 for the game, Purdue clinched the match on a Chicago State service error.
The Gold and Black kicked off game two with a Tiffany Yoskey (Sr., Canal Fulton, OH) ace before taking the lead 10-4 after a 2-2 tie-up. The Boilermakers let Chicago State back into the game, allowing the Cougars to pull within three at 11-8. Purdue then took over extending the lead to 29-14 before Bova closed it out with her 11th kill of a career and match-high 14.
"Jen Bova did a really nice job coming back in today," head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer said. "Hitting wise she did a great job putting balls away. It is a team game and sometimes somebody steps up like (Kim) Cappa did last night and coming back today Jen was right back in the lineup. I like the way she responded. Even though last night it just wasn't working for her, she came right back out and went after it."
Chicago State (0-3) was determined to make a victory hard for the Boilermakers, jumping out to an early 13-8 lead behind an ace and a handful of Purdue errors. The Gold and Black then rattled off a 7-0 run on a Yoskey service string, which included an ace and two Joanna Lowry (Jr., Glen Ellyn, IL) kills, to take a 15-13 lead. Several Boilermakers contributed kills that boosted the team to a 25-17 margin, while solid serving from McConaha and Lowry kept Purdue on top offensively. A Lowry kill, her ninth of the match, finished off the Cougars' hopes for an extended match and a victory.
"I think they have a better understanding of how they need to play," Hulsmeyer said. "Last night, they started out a little flat and it took them a long time to get into the match, almost a little too long. Today, they came back, but they understand now, they learned from last night about the kind of focus they need to have and what kind of energy they need to bring to the court. I was very pleased with the way they came out and focused from the first serve."
Bova led the Boilermakers with 14 kills and six blocks, while Lowry nearly pulled off her second double double in as many games with nine kills and a team-high nine digs. Yoskey led the team on the offensive side of the ball with three of the team's nine aces. Purdue also tallied eight team blocks in the match and hit a stellar .340 as a team. Alison West put down 10 kills for Chicago State, while Natalie Spelman registered 11 digs for the Cougars.
The Boilermakers have one match left in the Lady Raider Tournament, a 4:30 p.m. meeting with Western Carolina (2-1 on the weekend).