Aug. 27, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker volleyball team moved to 2-0 with a sweep of Virginia Commonwealth Saturday morning. Purdue won the match 25-8, 25-20, 25-18 in spite of an up-and-down performance.
Junior outside hitter Ariel Turner posted a match-high 10 kills, but it was senior middle blocker Tiffany Fisher and rookie middle blocker Kierra "KiKi" Jones who bolstered the Boilermaker effort. Fisher racked up eight kills, while hitting at a team-leading .429 clip and adding four blocks and two aces. For her part, Jones managed seven kills on a .417 hitting night and chipped in two stuffs.
Defensively, senior Emily Ehlers led the way with nine digs. Redshirt senior Blair Bashen and junior Carly Cramer added six digs apiece, while Turner and redshirt sophomore setter Rachel Davis chipped in five saves each. Davis also was key at the net with four blocks, including two solo efforts.
Purdue dominated the serving game with 11 aces to VCU's zero. Bashen issued four perfect serves, while Cramer (3), Fisher (2), Davis (1) and Turner (1) also contributed from the service line. The Boilermakers also outblocked the Rams 9-4 and held them to a .036 hitting effort.
The Boilermakers raced out to a 14-2 lead in Set 1, thanks to aces by Cramer and Bashen, eight Ram miscues and kills by Fisher and redshirt sophomore Catherine Rebarchak. VCU managed three straight points to slow Purdue temporarily, but could not hold off an 8-1 Boilermaker onslaught. Fisher served up two aces in the stretch and Davis added one, but Jones and fellow rookie Val Nichol poured on the points offensively. Nichol tallied a pair of kills and a block, while Jones chipped in a kill and a pair of blocks. Up 22-6, Purdue gave up a pair of points before capping the set with a 3 -0 run. Jones accounted for two of the three points, pounding down an overpass to seal the 25-8 win.
VCU bounced back in the second set, taking an early 13-7 lead. An ace by Bashen and kills by Jones, Turner and Nichol provided highlights, but Purdue could not stop the Ram offensive attack. The Boilermakers finally found their stride midway through the stanza, piling up nine of the next 10 points after trailing 13-7. Purdue soon owned a 16-14 advantage, as Jones, Turner and Fisher provided offense. Bashen served up an ace, while Davis and Fisher combined on a block. A VCU kill stopped Purdue momentarily, but the Boilermakers increased their lead to four at 20-16 after an ace and kill by Turner. The Rams pulled within two at 20-18, but Purdue wrapped up the 25-20 win with a 5-2 run. Jones tallied Purdue's final two points, while Turner racked up six kills in the stanza.
The Rams took the early advantage again in Set 3, jumping ahead 4-0. Purdue fought back, knotting the score at five and six, before surging ahead. Down 5-2, the Boilermakers pulled it together with a healthy combination of Turner and Fisher en route to a 12-6 advantage. Bashen also served up an ace in the rally. The teams split the next eight points, before Purdue pushed its lead to nine at 20-11 on a Cramer ace. VCU countered with four of the next five points. Fisher tallied a kill and combined on a block with Nichol to boost the Boilermaker lead to 23-15. A Ram error two plays later put Purdue on the hill, but it would take three match point attempts to secure the 25-18 win. A solo stuff by Jones accounted for match point.
The Boilermakers wrap up the Mortar Board Premier with a 7:30 p.m. contest against College of Charleston.