WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 13 Purdue volleyball team (2-3) was edged 3-2 after a gritty battle against No. 6 Minnesota (5-0) 25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 7-15.
The Boilermakers handed the Gophers their first set loss of the season not once but twice Friday night while tallying 13 aces, 65 total kills and a .208 attack %.
No. 13 Purdue took the first and third sets, the latter of which included 15 tied scores and seven lead changes. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers were within reach of clinching the match in the fourth set, trailing the Gophers 22-21, but were overpowered with three straight Minnesota points to force a fifth set.
The matchup topped the Big Ten charts as the most aces in a five setter (Purdue, 13), assists (Minnesota, 68), kills (Minnesota, 72) while both teams ranked among the top two in digs (Minnesota 108, Purdue 103) and total attempts (Purdue 213, Minnesota 199). Purdue's 13 aces were the second-most by a Big Ten team this season.
Newton secured 24 kills, a season-high, with seven errors and 84 attacks (.202). In fact, the senior had surpassed her 12 kill total vs. Iowa (previous best, set 1/29/21), after slamming down 13 by the end of the second set. The Boilermaker was just two kills shy of tying her career-best (26, vs. No. 22 Louisville 9/13/19). Meanwhile her career-high 84 attempts stand as the fourth-most by a Boilermaker in program history and just four shy of the Purdue record (88).
Grace Cleveland made her 2021 debut by notching her 700th career kill with her first of the night en route to 17 kills and six errors on 54 swings (.204).
Junior Marissa Hornung secured a team-leading 45 digs and five service aces.
Set 1
Purdue succeeded the first point to Minnesota, but followed with the next five straight points. Jena Otec started it off with serving up three consecutive aces, which led Purdue to an early 7-3 advantage over the Gophers. With Minnesota within two points of Purdue (score: 18-16, Purdue), the Boilermakers were able to lock in the win with a 4-1 run to close the set.
Cleveland and Newton both led the team with seven kills in the set and just one error between the two. Five team aces were recorded, including three from Otec.
Set 2
Purdue picked up right where it left off, taking the first five points of the set. With Hornung on the serve, the junior secured two aces in the first three serves. Minnesota fought back from a 15-9 deficit to take the lead 20-19 and put away the set thanks to a 6-1 run, advancing a tied-up 19-19 score to 24-20 in favor of the visitors. Purdue tried to come back, recording three straight points, including a third ace from Hornung, but the lead proved too much for the Boilermakers.
Set 3
The teams were neck-and-neck throughout the entirety of the set. The momentum-swing came for the Boilermakers when the score was 20-17. The Boilermakers were able to launch a five-point unanswered run to take the lead once more, thanks to a kill by Maddie Koch, which propelled Purdue to a 22-20 advantage over the Gophers. Minnesota attempted to upheave Purdue as the two programs traded points with tied scores once more at 23-23 and 24-24, but Cleveland and Newton secured the set victory with a kill and ace, respectively.
There were 15 tied scores throughout the set with seven lead changes. Hayley Bush recorded a night's best 14 assists in the set.
Set 4
With eight tied scores in the fourth, including two lead changes, the Boilermakers trailed Minnesota by four points with the score 21-17 in favor of the Gophers. However, Purdue ignited, taking the next four of five points and bringing the score within one (22-21). No. 6 Minnesota closed out forced a fifth set after a pair of kills and ace to finalize the set.
Set 5
No. 6 Minnesota took a quick 2-0 lead over the Boilermakers, with Purdue's first kill bringing the score to 3-2, in favor of the Gophers. Overpowered by Minnesota's .429 hitting % in the set, Purdue fell despite a pair of kills from middle blockers Taylor Trammell and Jael Johnson.
Up Next
No. 13 Purdue will have its rematch against No. 6 Minnesota tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET. Fans can tune in on BTN+.
The Boilermakers handed the Gophers their first set loss of the season not once but twice Friday night while tallying 13 aces, 65 total kills and a .208 attack %.
No. 13 Purdue took the first and third sets, the latter of which included 15 tied scores and seven lead changes. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers were within reach of clinching the match in the fourth set, trailing the Gophers 22-21, but were overpowered with three straight Minnesota points to force a fifth set.
The matchup topped the Big Ten charts as the most aces in a five setter (Purdue, 13), assists (Minnesota, 68), kills (Minnesota, 72) while both teams ranked among the top two in digs (Minnesota 108, Purdue 103) and total attempts (Purdue 213, Minnesota 199). Purdue's 13 aces were the second-most by a Big Ten team this season.
Newton secured 24 kills, a season-high, with seven errors and 84 attacks (.202). In fact, the senior had surpassed her 12 kill total vs. Iowa (previous best, set 1/29/21), after slamming down 13 by the end of the second set. The Boilermaker was just two kills shy of tying her career-best (26, vs. No. 22 Louisville 9/13/19). Meanwhile her career-high 84 attempts stand as the fourth-most by a Boilermaker in program history and just four shy of the Purdue record (88).
Grace Cleveland made her 2021 debut by notching her 700th career kill with her first of the night en route to 17 kills and six errors on 54 swings (.204).
Junior Marissa Hornung secured a team-leading 45 digs and five service aces.
Set 1
Purdue succeeded the first point to Minnesota, but followed with the next five straight points. Jena Otec started it off with serving up three consecutive aces, which led Purdue to an early 7-3 advantage over the Gophers. With Minnesota within two points of Purdue (score: 18-16, Purdue), the Boilermakers were able to lock in the win with a 4-1 run to close the set.
Cleveland and Newton both led the team with seven kills in the set and just one error between the two. Five team aces were recorded, including three from Otec.
Set 2
Purdue picked up right where it left off, taking the first five points of the set. With Hornung on the serve, the junior secured two aces in the first three serves. Minnesota fought back from a 15-9 deficit to take the lead 20-19 and put away the set thanks to a 6-1 run, advancing a tied-up 19-19 score to 24-20 in favor of the visitors. Purdue tried to come back, recording three straight points, including a third ace from Hornung, but the lead proved too much for the Boilermakers.
Set 3
The teams were neck-and-neck throughout the entirety of the set. The momentum-swing came for the Boilermakers when the score was 20-17. The Boilermakers were able to launch a five-point unanswered run to take the lead once more, thanks to a kill by Maddie Koch, which propelled Purdue to a 22-20 advantage over the Gophers. Minnesota attempted to upheave Purdue as the two programs traded points with tied scores once more at 23-23 and 24-24, but Cleveland and Newton secured the set victory with a kill and ace, respectively.
There were 15 tied scores throughout the set with seven lead changes. Hayley Bush recorded a night's best 14 assists in the set.
Set 4
With eight tied scores in the fourth, including two lead changes, the Boilermakers trailed Minnesota by four points with the score 21-17 in favor of the Gophers. However, Purdue ignited, taking the next four of five points and bringing the score within one (22-21). No. 6 Minnesota closed out forced a fifth set after a pair of kills and ace to finalize the set.
Set 5
No. 6 Minnesota took a quick 2-0 lead over the Boilermakers, with Purdue's first kill bringing the score to 3-2, in favor of the Gophers. Overpowered by Minnesota's .429 hitting % in the set, Purdue fell despite a pair of kills from middle blockers Taylor Trammell and Jael Johnson.
Up Next
No. 13 Purdue will have its rematch against No. 6 Minnesota tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET. Fans can tune in on BTN+.