Oct. 24, 2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Boilermaker volleyball team fell just short of an inspiring come-from-behind effort, but was just outdone by the Illini 15-11 in the deciding fifth game. Illinois (16-3, 7-2 Big Ten) won the match 22-30, 30-23, 30-14, 34-36, and 15-11.
In a thrilling effort, the Boilermakers overcame three Illinois match-point attempts and finally converted on their fourth game-point attempt to take game four 36-34 and tie the match at two games apiece. Purdue faced a six-point deficit at 21-15, but looked fear in the eye and answered with 10 of the next 11 points to take a 25-22 lead of its own. The Illini tied it up at 26 with a 4-1 run. The game was tied at 27 and 28 before a Purdue hitting error set up the Illini's first game point attempt. A Kim McConaha kill tied it at 29 and a Boilermaker block set up Purdue's first chance at the game. The teams would each have more chances at the game as the game saw five more ties. A McConaha kill and a block by McConaha and Kim Cappa gave Purdue a 36-34 win and forced the deciding fifth game.
Game five began with a 4-3 Boilermaker lead and saw that turn into a two-point deficit at 6-4. The teams then traded points making it 7-6 Illinois after a Wischmeier kill. The Illini scored the next two points making it 9-6 and forcing a Purdue timeout. A hitting error stopped the Illini run, but moments later the score was 13-7 in favor of Illinois. A Cappa kill again halted the Illinois rally, but a Melissa Vandrey kill, her 30th of the night set up match point for the Illini. The Boilermakers would not go down easily, putting together a string of three points on two Illini miscues and a Wischmeier kill, but a Jessica Belter kill clinched the match for Illinois at 15-11.
"I thought tonight was another indication that we are a pretty tough team," head coach Dave Shondell said. "We obviously had a hard time recovering after we lost Mel (Ukovich). Marie (Franke) went in after not having played in a full match for six and a half weeks and played pretty well. I am proud of the way we came back in game four. When Mel went down, that turned the match around."
Purdue silenced the Illini crowd in game one turning a 6-5 deficit into a four-point lead with a 5-0 run which capitalized on three Illinois errors and kills by freshmen Katie Dobson and Melanie Ukovich. The Illini cut the lead to three at 12-9, but the Boilermakers made it five with a kill by junior Kim Cappa and a solo block by Kim McConaha. Purdue then raised the point margin to 10 at 22-12 with eight of the next 10 points. Down 28-19, the Illini held Purdue off with a pair of kills, but a Leah Wischmeier kill set up the Boilermakers' first game-point attempt. Another Wischmeier kill two plays later sealed the game at 30-22. Purdue hit .326 to Illinois' .217 percentage.
The Illini turned the tables on Purdue in game two, turning a 5-3 deficit into a 10-5 lead with a run of seven-straight points. Illinois made it a six-point lead at 16-10 and maintained it keeping the Boilermakers to just one-point rallies. Down 23-15, Cappa tallied back-to-back kills as Purdue scored four of the next six points to cut the lead to five at 24-19. Illinois went on a 5-1 run to set up their first game-point attempt at 29-20. The Boilermakers held them off with a three-point run including a block and a Wischmeier kill, but a hitting error gave the Illini the game at 30-23.
The momentum stayed with the orange and blue in game three. Purdue, playing without the help of Ukovich, who went down with an injury in game two, saw a 3-3 tie turn into a 9-4 deficit to begin the game. The Illini did not let up, boosting their lead to nine at 15-6 forcing a Boilermaker timeout. A block by Wischmeier and Dobson stopped the rally, but Illinois made it a 10-point game with a kill and a Melissa Vandrey service ace. The teams then traded points leading to a 22-10 Illini lead. Illinois scored five of the next seven to make it 27-12. Purdue tallied a block and a kill to extend the game. A Purdue miscue and a Illini kill gave Illinois the 30-14 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Boilermakers will be back in action Saturday night against Northwestern (12-9, 3-6 Big Ten).