Sept. 27, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - It was a nailbiter for the No. 19 Boilermaker volleyball team Saturday night, but Purdue came away with the five-game victory over in-state rival Indiana. The Boilermakers won the match 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11 to move to 12-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten.
Senior Stephanie Lynch guided the Purdue offense with 21 kills, while sophomore Kristen Arthurs and junior Carrie Gurnell tacked on 13 and 11 respectly. Arthurs hit at a .500 clip for the night with just one error in 24 swings, while made good on 41 percent of her swings. Senior Kelli Miller racked up 18 digs, while senior Danita Merlau added 16 and sophomore Jaclyn Hart posted 10 to go with her 53 assist effort. The Boilermakers racked up 13.5 blocks, including six by Lynch and five by Arthurs.
"Indiana is a pretty good team," head coach Dave Shondell said. "I told our team not to be surprised to go five or be in a lot of tussles in the Big Ten this year. Every match in the Big Ten is going to be just like this. I am glad that we were able to pull it off on the road."
After a string of ties, Indiana led 6-5 in the fifth set. Purdue, however, scored five of the next six points to go ahead 11-7. Arthurs registered a pair of putaways and got in on a couple of blocks in the rally. Another Arthurs kill and a set into the corner by Miller pushed the score to 13-9. A Hoosier block slowed the Boilermakers, but Lynch came through with two kills in the final three serves to snag Purdue the 15-11 win.
The first set was a roller coaster ride for both teams as it featured 11 ties and four lead changes. IU led 4-1 early, but Purdue turned the tables, going ahead 7-5 after four Hoosier errors. Indiana scored four straight, including two aces to regain the lead at 9-7. The Boilermakers were resilient, however, eventually working their way to a 15-13 advantage after kills from Lynch, Gurnell and Ainsworth. Trailing 20-18, Indiana stormed back with a 5-0 run to go up 23-20. A pair of miscues and a block by Lynch and Merlau knotted it up at 232, but a kill and a block gave the set to IU.
The Hoosiers carried the momentum into the second set, racing out to a 9-5 lead. The Boilermakers managed to cut the margin to two at 15-13 after a trio of kills by Gurnell in a span of four points. Down four again at 20-16, Purdue turned up the heat with six of the next seven points, including kills by Lynch, Arthurs and Gurnell and a block, putting the Boilermakers on top 22-21. A pair of Hoosier points put Purdue on the short end of a 23-21 score, but Arthurs came through with two kills and a block to cap the set at 25-23 and tie the match at a set apiece. Gurnell racked up five kills, while Arthurs and Lynch each added four as Purdue posted a .412 hitting effort in the stanza.
The Boilermakers led the third set from start to finish, building a five point advantage at 11-6 midway through. Indiana pulled within two three times last at 17-15, but a pair of putdowns by Lynch and a block by Lynch and Hart pushed the margin back to five. A solo stuff by Arthurs and a Hoosier hitting error put Purdue on the hill at 24-17. Hart sent it over on the second contact a few serves later to sew up the 25-19 win. Lynch racked up five kills on seven swings as Purdue outhit Indiana .324 to .067 in the set.
Purdue scored six of the first eight points in the fourth set, but Indiana charged back with eight of the next nine points to turn the four-point deficit into a 10-7 lead of its own. The Boilermakers battled back, tying the score at 14-14 with a 4-1 run, including kills from three different players. Purdue could not break through, however, as Indiana raised the advantage back to three at 21-18. Putaways by Lynch and Gurnell cut the margin to one at 22-21, but the Hoosiers went up 24-21 on a pair of blocks. A kill by Hart and a miscue made it 24-23, but a putdown by Ashley Benson sent the match to a fifth and deciding set.
The Boilermakers (12-2, 1-1 Big Ten) return to action at home on Friday when they welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes to Belin Court.