Oct. 20, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Junior Samantha Mader chalked up a match-high 18 kills on a stellar .773 hitting percentage as she led the No. 14 Boilermakers to a 3-0 win over Illinois Friday night. Mader put her name in the Purdue record book, chalking up the third-best single-match hitting percentage in program history, with the 18-kill tally and just one error in 22 swings, as Purdue downed the Fighting Illini 30-16, 20-28, 30-26.
Mader (Algonquin, Ill.) led the Purdue offensive attack, while sophomore Stephanie Lynch (New Albany, Ind.) added nine on a .667 hitting percentage. Sophomore Danita Merlau (New Palestine, Ind.) and junior Lizzie Jacques each tacked on seven kills. Lynch and Merlau each posted four blocks, while senior Brittany Dildine (Lafayette, Ind.) pulled up a team-best eight digs.
Purdue hit .415 for the match including a .541 effort in the third game. The Boilermakers served up seven aces in the match, while allowing the Illini just two.
The Boilermakers blazed out to a 14-2 lead to start the match. Freshman Sam Gray (Indianapolis, Ind.) served up three aces in Purdue's first four serves and Merlau added another to make it 7-1. Miller chalked up another Boilermaker ace following a trio of Illini miscues to make it 14-2. Illinois managed three of the next five points to cut the margin to 11 at 16-5, but Purdue put up an 8-5 run to push the advantage to 14. The Illini pulled within 10 at 24-14, but the Boilermakers scored five of the last seven including an ace by Dildine to take the 30-16 win. Purdue hit .318, while holding Illinois to a .091 effort. The Boilermakers also served up six aces in the stanza.
The teams split the first 20 points of Game 2, including eight ties. The Boilermakers then put together a 6-1 run, including kills from four different players and a block by Lynch and freshman Carrie Gurnell (Katy, Texas), to go up 16-11.The Illini made it a two-point game at 17-15. Merlau and Mader registered kills for Purdue to make it 20-16, but Illinois slice the margin to one at 21-20 after a pair of Boilermaker miscues. The Boilermakers scored four of the next five points, including an ace by Miller, to take a 25-21 lead. Illinois cut the advantage to two at 26-24, then the teams split the next four points. A kill by Mader set up game point for Purdue at 29-26, but a kill and an ace by the Illini prolonged the game. A service error sealed the 30-28 win for the Boilermakers. Mader tallied six kills in the stanza.
The Illini took an early 5-2 lead in Game 3, but the Boilermakers used kills from Lynch and Mader to tie the score at 5-5. Illinois went on to lead by four at 15-11, before Purdue scored four of the next five to make it a one-point game at 16-15 on a kill by Gurnell. The teams split the next eight points leading to a 20-19 score. Trailing 21-19, the Boilermakers scored four of the next five points to take a 23-22 lead on a kill by Jacques. The Illini countered with two in a row to regain the lead, but Purdue returned the favor with a 4-0 run including kills by Mader and Jacques to make it 27-24. The teams traded points on the next four serves, making it 29-26 on a kill by Mader. The junior sealed the match at 30-26 with her 18th kill of the night.
The Boilermakers (16-4, 6-3 Big Ten) return to action at 8 p.m. Saturday when they take on the Northwestern Wildcats. Purdue's new playing surface, Belin Court, will be dedicated in a ceremony slated to begin at 6:15 p.m.