Oct. 4, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 24 Boilermaker volleyball team used its balanced offensive attack and strong defensive in the back court and at the net to sweep No. 12 Ohio State, for Purdue's first Big Ten win and first win over a ranked foe in 2013. Purdue won the match 25-23, 25-15, 25-21.
Five Boilermakers recorded six or more kills in the match as Purdue outhit OSU .238 to .126. Junior Val Nichol led the Boilers with 10 kills on a .421 hitting percentage, while also adding 15 assists and seven digs. Sophomore Sam Epenesa chipped in nine kills, while redshirt senior Catherine Rebarchak (8), junior KiKi Jones (7) and sophomore Annie Drews (6) followed.
The Boilermakers topped the Buckeyes in every major statistical category including blocks, as Purdue posted 12 stuffs to just six for OSU. Jones paced Purdue at the net with eight blocks, while also serving up two aces. Nichol was credited with five blocks, while Drews and redshirt freshman Faye Adelaja added four stuffs apiece. In the back court, redshirt senior Carly Cramer pulled up a match-high 14 digs. Senior Hilliary Fox and Nichol followed with eight and seven saves respectively.
Purdue scored two of the first three points, but the Buckeyes soon held a 6-4 edge. A block by Nichol and Adelaja tied it up at 6-6. The teams split the next six points, but Rebarchak added a kill and Jones pounded down an overpass to put Purdue on top 10-9. OSU tied the score at 10, 13 and 14, but the Boilers maintained control. Purdue scored five of the next seven to go ahead 19-16 on a block by Rebarchak and Jones. Ohio State used an ace and two kills to play into a 20-20 tie. A Nichol putaway and an ace by Rebarchak made it 22-20 and forced OSU to use its final timeout. The Buckeyes knotted it up at 22 and prompted a Boilermaker break. The teams tied again at 23, but Purdue finished out the 25-23 win with a kill by Adelaja and a Buckeye hitting error. Jones and Drews had four kills apiece in the stanza.
The Boilermakers carried the momentum into Set 2, jumping out to a 5-0 lead including a pair of blocks by Jones and led start to finish in a 25-15 win. After trailing 5-0, OSU narrowed the gap to two at 5-3, but Purdue pulled away with nine of the next 12 points. A pair of Epenesa putaways made it 14-6 and forced Ohio State to use its last timeout of the set. Purdue led by eight at 18-10 after a trio of Buckeye miscues and maintained at least a five point edge the rest of the way. The Boilermakers closed out the set on a 6-1 run, including an ace by Jones and two kills by Nichol, including the final putaway. Purdue outhit OSU .261 to .037 in the set.
Ohio State took an early 4-3 lead in Set 3, but Purdue rallied to take a 6-4 lead and did not relinquish the lead the rest of the way in a 25-21 win. A 3-0 run, including a kill by Epenesa and a block by Nichol and Adelaja, put the Boilers on top at 6-4. The teams remained close until another 3-0 run, this one capped by back-to-back blocks by Jones and Drews made it 11-7 and forced a Buckeye timeout. OSU cut the margin to one at 12-11 and 13-12, but a three-point rally, featuring putdowns by Jones and Epenesa gave Purdue cushion at 16-12. Ohio State continued to fight, making it a one-point game twice, but could not break through. A kill and a block by Rebarchak put the Boiler edge at 21-18 and forced OSU to use its final timeout. A trio of Boilermaker errors let the Buckeyes back into the set at 22-21. A timeout was the cure Purdue needed, as the Boilers wrapped up the match with three straight kills, two by Nichol and a third by Epenesa. The Boilermakers posted six blocks in the final set and Epenesa turned in five kills in the win.
The No. 24 Boilermakers (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten) return to action Saturday night when they take on No. 5 Penn State at 7. The match is nearly sold out and any tickets that remain will be released for sale at 6 p.m. ET from the Athletics Ticket Office.Fans are encouraged to bring children's books to the match to donate to the United Way's Read to Succeed program.