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Sept. 30, 2003
Complete Release in PDF Format
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - After the team's first 2-0 Big Ten start since 1990, the Boilermaker volleyball team will take that record on the road when they face No. 11 Penn State and Ohio State this weekend. Purdue will look to build on its current two-match win streak and snap 15 year draught against the Nittany Lions. Series Information Penn State (PSU leads the series 28-5): The series with the Nittany Lions began on Nov. 7, 1981 with a 2-0 Penn State victory at the Buckeye Invitational in Columbus, Ohio. Purdue then took the next five meeting, two in University Park, two in West Lafayette and one in Louisville, Ky. from 1982 to 1987. Since that time, PSU has taken the next 27 meetings, 23 of them in 3-0 sweeps. Ohio State (OSU leads the series 34-25): The series began with a 2-1 Buckeye victory on Oct., 31, 1975, and stood at 7-6 Ohio State after the first 13 meetings. Purdue then won 17 of the next 20 matches including an eight-match streak from Nov. 21, 1980 to Nov. 4, 1983. Ohio State then turned the tables, winning 24 of the last 26 including four-game and five-game wins in 2002. Notes on the Nittany Lions No. 11 Penn State (13-1, 2-0 Big Ten) brings a five-match win streak and a perfect 3-0 home record into the weekend matchup with the Boilermakers. The Nittany Lions extended their win streak to five with five-game wins over No. 14 Michigan State and Michigan on the road to open Big Ten play. The team's lone loss of the season came in the form of a 3-2 defeat at the hands of BYU on Sept. 13. The Nittany Lions are led by senior Cara Smith, who is averaging 4.20 kills per game, while hitting a league-leading .450 and putting up 0.98 blocks per game. Smith led the conference in hitting and ranked fourth in the nation with a .423 percentage a year ago. Junior Ashley Pederson is not far behind Smith offensively, recording 4.12 kills per game. Senior Erin Iceman brings 3.06 kills and nearly one block per game to the table on the right side. Freshman Cassy Salyer, who is 6-foot-5, puts up 1.52 blocks per game, part of the team's 3.01 blocks per game average. The team also features All-Big Ten setter Sam Tortorello, who leads the Big Ten in assists (13.71 per game) and sophomore libero Kaleena Walters, who pulls up nearly four digs per game, to rank second in the conference. The Nittany Lions are hitting .300 on the season while ranking third in the league in kills per game (16.94) to Purdue's 17.00 average. Penn State is coached by Russ Rose, who is his 25th season with the team. Purdue Ties: Senior middle hitter Cara Smith attended Lafayette's Harrison High School, the alma mater of Boilermakers Kim Cappa and Brittany Dildine. PSU middle Kim Holm is a former teammate of Purdue middle Sarah Vitali. The two both attended St. Charles East High School in St. Charles, Ill. Buckeye Bits Ohio State (6-4, 0-2 Big Ten) will be looking to snap a two-match losing streak when they welcome Indiana and Purdue to Columbus this weekend. The Buckeyes had won their last three contests going into Big Ten play, but hit a buzzsaw in Michigan, who handed the team a 3-0 loss, and No. 14 Michigan State, who topped OSU 3-1. Junior outside hitter Stacey Gordon provides the bulk of the Buckeyes offense and defense, with a league leading 6.03 kills per game to go with a team-high 3.62 digs, which ranks her third in the conference standings. Gordon, who has tallied double-figure kills in each of her last 57 matches, finished the 2002 campaign with a 5.98 kills per game average to rank third in the nation. Gordon also has been dominant from the service line with 20 aces in the team's 10 matches. Sophomore Amanda Miller has been OSU's second option at hitter, averaging 3.15 kills per game. Former Buckeye basketball standout D'wan Shackleford is contributing 1.54 blocks per game, while Katherine Grant and Briana McCarthy are each averaging a stuff per game. McCarthy has taken over as the team's starting setter, after starting the first two matches of the season at outside hitter. OSU has racked up a 16.13 kills per game average to opponents 12.82 average. The Buckeyes lead opponents in every statistical category except blocking where the team is posting 3.03, the second best average in the Big Ten, to opponents' 3.21 average. OSU is coached by Jim Stone, who is in his 22nd season. A Look at the Boilermakers Purdue (9-3) will be looking to build on their first 2-0 conference start since 1990 when they take to the road to face No. 11 Penn State and Ohio State this weekend. The Boilermakers kicked off the Big Ten season with a 3-0 win over Iowa and a 3-1 upset of No. 18 Minnesota. Junior Kim McConaha is leading the team with 3.86 kills and 1.37 blocks per game. She also is adding two digs per game to the Boilermakers' effort. Redshirt sophomore Leah Wischmeier, freshman Melanie Ukovich and junior Kim Cappa are each recording more than three kills per game with averages of 3.58, 3.12 and 3.03 respectively. In addition to dishing out 12.67 assists per game, setter Renata Dargan is hitting .367, pulling up 2.12 digs and knocking down 1.86 kills per game of her own. Dargan is also among the four top blockers on the team (0.86) joining McConaha (1.37), freshman Katie Dobson (1.05) and Ukovich (0.86). Dargan, Wischmeier and McConaha also give opponents trouble from the service line, racking up ace totals of 25, 12 and 12 respectively. Dargan's tally ranks her second in the Big Ten. Junior libero Daren Poe handles the back row defense for the Boilermakers, pulling up 3.29 digs per game. Purdue leads opponents in every statistical category including hitting percentage, where they own a .266 to .211 advantage. They also have posted 76 aces to opponents' 53 perfect serves. What a Difference a Win Makes... If the Boilermakers top No. 11 Penn State... * They will improve to 10-3 on the season and match their 1999 start through as many matches. *They will have beaten PSU for the first time since 1987, snapping a 27-match losing streak, and for only the third time in University Park. *They will be 3-0 to begin conference play for the first time since 1990, when they started the Big Ten 5-0. *They will have beaten a top 15 opponent for the first time since Nov. 5, 1993, when they topped No. 15 Ohio State 3-2. Tops in the League Redshirt sophomore Leah Wischmeier was named Big Ten Player of the Week for her efforts in The accolade marks the first time a Boilermaker has earned the honor since Aneska Arosarena was tabbed on Oct. 4, 1999. The left side hitter tallied a match-high 15 kills in the 3-0 win over Iowa while adding eight digs and hitting .344. In the outing against No. 18 Minnesota, she chalked up 19 kills, six digs and four blocks, while hitting .417. On the weekend, she averaged 4.86 kills, second most in the Big Ten and 2.0 digs per game while hitting .382 (7th in the Big Ten). The 3-1 victory over the Golden Gophers gave Purdue its first win over a top-20 team since Oct. 2, 1999 when the Boilermakers defeated No. 18 Michigan. Streaks & Notables *Kim McConaha has recorded double-figure kill performances in 10 of the team's 12 matches. She also has four double-doubles this season. *Renata Dargan has record at least one ace in 10 of the team's 12 matches including five each against UW-Milwaukee and #18 Minnesota. She has served up 25 aces so far this season. *Purdue is 8-0 when outblocking opponents. *Purdue is 8-1 when having two players reach double figures in kills and 6-1 when two players have 10 or more digs. Among the Big Ten... Purdue leads the Big Ten in kills (17.00 per game) and ranks second in the conference in assists (15.42 per game). The team also is tied for second in aces (1.77 per game) and ranks fourth in hitting percentage (.266) and sixth in blocks (2.49). Renata Dargan ranks third in aces with 0.56 per game, fifth in hitting percentage (.367) and seventh in assists per game (12.67). Kim McConaha ranks fourth in blocks per game, averaging 1.37, while Daren Poe is eighth in digs per game, with an average of 3.29. In conference matches only, Purdue finds itself among the Big Ten's top five in each statistical category. Purdue leads the league in kills (17.57 per game) and blocks (3.57 per game). The Boilermakers are second in hitting percentage (.270) and assists (16.14 per game). The team also is third in aces (1.71) and fourth in digs (14.14) and opponents hitting percentage (.194).
Individually, Poe is tied for second in the league with a 3.57 digs per game average. Katie Dobson is second in blocks (1.71) while McConaha is third with 1.57. Dargan is fourth in assists (13.14) and aces (0.71), and sixth in blocks (1.43).
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