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Defensive specialist Jessica Ullrich and the Boilermakers welcome Iowa and No. 13 Minnesota to Holloway Gymnasium for weekend Big Ten contests.
 
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Sept. 30, 2008

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 18 Boilermaker volleyball returns to the friendly confines of Belin Court this weekend after a four-week long road trip. Purdue will take on Iowa and No. 13 Minnesota in a pair of Big Ten Conference matches on Friday and Saturday.

Dig For A Cure
On October 4, Coach Shondell and the Boilermaker volleyball team will celebrate breast cancer awareness month with Dig for the Cure, a national initiative by college volleyball teams to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.

Fans can contribute to the cause in a variety of ways. Dig pledge cards wil be available before the match vs. Minnesota. In addition, four items will be available during a silent auction, which will begin at 6 p.m. and last until the start of the third set. Up for bid will be two pink ribbon jerseys and two team-autographed pink volleyballs. All funds will support the Indianapolis Affiliate of Komen for the Cure. Cash or checks will be accepted.

Wear pink and show your support for Purdue volleyball and breast cancer research! Pink rally towels an pink ribbons will be available to the first 1,000 fans at the event.

In 2007, the Purdue volleyball team raised more than $1,300 as fans pledged fund for each dig the team tallied during its Dig for a Cure match against Michigan State on October 13. The Boilermakers wore pink ribbons and fans received pink rally towels to show support.

Promotions
The first set of Boilermaker volleyball trading cards will be given out to the first 1,000 fans in attendance Friday night. The second set will be available at the Nov. 19 match.

The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: The No. 18 Purdue Boilermakers are 12-2 on the season, including a 1-1 mark in the Big Ten. Purdue won all four of its non-conference tournament titles and has been ranked among the nation's Top 25 throughout 2008.

Last Time Out: The Boilermakers split their conference opening matches, falling to No. 1 Penn State on Friday, before rebounding with a five-set win over instate rival Indiana on Saturday.

Statistically Speaking: Middle hitter Stephanie Lynch paces the Boilermaker offense with 3.58 kills on a team-best .421 hitting effort, while also leading the team at the net with 1.31 blocks per set. Outside hitter Danita Merlau is right behind with 3.36 kills per set. Middle hitter Kristen Arthurs tacks on 2.10 kills and helps out at the net with 1.08 blocks per set. In the backcourt, libero Kelli Miller racks up a team-best 4.36 digs per set. Merlau adds 2.02 digs per set, while defensive specialist Jessica Ullrich and setter Jaclyn Hart each pull up 1.96 digs per set. Hart also has dished out 9.49 assists per set, while adding 0.94 blocks per set. Purdue has served up 53 aces, paced by Ullrich and setter/outside hitter Sam Ainsworth, who each have tallied 12. Miller has served up 11 aces.

Series Information
Iowa (Purdue leads the series 40-18): The Boilermakers won 13 of the first 14 meetings, including the first 10 straight. The record stood at 15-7 before Purdue won eight in a row from 1990 to 1993. The teams each won five of the next 10. Iowa then won five of the next seven, but Purdue has taken nine of the last 10, including the last eight in a row.

Minnesota (UM leads the series 37-27): The Boilermakers dominated the early part of the series which began on Oct. 11, 1975, winning 18 of the first 20 meetings. The Golden Gophers have since won 33 of the next 42 meetings, including two strings of five and a string of eight from 1999 to 2002. Purdue swept the 1990 and 1998 to break up the streak and took the home match in both 2003 and 2005. The Gophers swept the 2006 and 2007 meetings.

An Inkling About Iowa
At First Glance: The Iowa Hawkeyes (10-4, 2-0 Big Ten) enter the weekend on a seven-match win streak. The team already has surpassed their 2007 win tallies. Iowa posted a 9-22 overall record, including a 1-19 conference mark last season. The Hawkeyes are in their first season under head coach Sharon Dingman.

Last Time Out: The Hawkeyes knocked off then-No. 18 Wisconsin via sweep on Friday night to open conference play and wrapped up the weekend with a four-set win over Northwestern.

Statistically Speaking: Outside hitters Catherine Smale and Megan Schipper lead the Hawkeye offense with 3.53 and 3.24 kills per set respectively. Middle hitter Laura Kremer (2.18) and outside hitter Aimee Huffman (2.02) also contribute more than two kills per stanza. Schipper has served up a team-best 16 aces, while Kremer and middle hitter Katie Kennedy lead the team at the net with 0.90 blocks per set. In the back court, libero Emily Hiza leads the way with 3.77 digs per set. Smale follows with 2.27, while setter Kiley Fister (1.98) and Schipper (1.96) also contribute to the defense.

A Gander At the Gophers
At First Glance: The No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-2, 2-0 Big Ten) have been ranked among the Top 25 throughout the 2008 season, peaking at No. 8 in the Sept. 15 poll. The Gophers have taken on four Top 20 teams, including a win over then-No. 4 California. Minnesota is coached by Mike Hebert, who is in his 13th year with the team.

Last Time Out: The Golden Gophers swept Northwestern and topped then-No. 18 Wisconsin in four sets last weekend.

Statistically Speaking: Middle hitter Lauren Gibbemeyer paces the Minnesota offense with 3.44 kills per set on a team-best .346 hitting effort, while also adding a team-leading 1.56 blocks per set. Outside hitters Brook Dieter (3.34) and outside hitter Kyla Roehrig (2.90) also contribute offensively. Libero Christine Tan pulls up 5.46 digs per set to lead the backcourt. Defensive specialist Jessica Granquist (2.74), defensive specialist Hailey Cowles (2.64), outside hitter Pamela Luiz (2.41) and setter Rachel Hartmann (2.40) also add more than two digs per set. The Golden Gophers have served up 49 aces, including 15 by Cowles.

Comparing the Teams

Statistic     Purdue     Iowa      Minnesota
Hitting %     .223       .265      .236
Kills         12.42      13.24     13.98
Assists       10.98      12.04     13.12
Aces          1.00       1.39      0.98
Blocks        2.64       2.05      3.03
Digs          13.66      13.04     18.40

What a Difference a Win Makes...
If the Boilermakers top Iowa on Friday ...

• They will post their ninth straight win over the Hawkeyes, a stretch dating to 2004.

• They will have won their first Big Ten home match of the season for the fourth time under head coach Dave Shondell.

• They will move to 13-2 on the season, matching their 2006 start. The 2006 squad went on to a 23-11 mark and a Sweet 16 appearance.

Among the Nation
The Boilermakers rank among the nation's top 50 in several team and individual statistical categories. As a team, Purdue ranks 27th in blocks per set (2.64). Individually, middle hitter Stephanie Lynch ranks 10th in hitting percentage (.421) and 21st in blocks per set (1.31).

Movin' On Up
Outside hitter Danita Merlau sits second in career attempts with 4,468, just 315 off the record. Merlau also ranks among the Top 10 in career kills with 1,496, a mark which ranks fifth.

Setter Jaclyn Hart moved into the Purdue Top 10 in career assists with 1,472.

Rank And File
The Boilermakers moved up a spot to No. 18 in this week's CSTV/AVCA Coaches' Poll. Purdue has been ranked among the top 25 throughout the 2008 season, beginning at No. 25 in the preseason poll. The team then moved up to No. 18 on Sept. 1 after knocking off then-No. 14 Kansas State. The Boilermakers continued to climb the rankings, landing at No. 15 on Sept. 8. The team's first loss dropped them to No. 20 in the Sept. 15 poll. However, the Boilemakers posted a 3-0 record the following week to move up a spot to No. 19.

The No. 15 ranking on Sept. 8 was the Boilermakers' highest since earning the No. 13 spot in the 2007 preseason listing. Since rankings began in 1982, Purdue has been ranked in 85 polls, including preseason and postseason listings.

Against the Top 25
The Boilermakers are slated to face four ranked teams in 2008, based on the preseason AVCA Top 25 poll, including No. 13 Minnesota. During the Dave Shondell era, Purdue has beaten 14 Top 25 teams, including three Top 10 opponents. The Boilermakers posted wins over No. 10 Wisconsin and No. 9 Minnesota in 2005 and a victory over No. 9 Colorado State in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Purdue owns a 52-162 all-time record in matches against the Top 25.

Block Party
Middle hitter Stephanie Lynch snapped Kim McConaha (2001-04)'s career record mark of 382 block assists against Tennessee State on August 30. She now owns the record with 436. Lynch surpassed the 500 total blocks milestone on Sept. 13 and ranks among the career top 10 in solo blocks (4th with 96) and total blocks (3rd with 532).

Can You Dig It?
Libero Kelli Miller became Purdue's career digs leader on Sept. 13 against Utah State, surpassing Becky Kanitz (1985-88)'s mark of 1,564. The overall record now stands at 1676. Miller began her senior season with a tally of 1,445 and inched her way to the record in the team's opening eight matches. The Muncie, Ind., native moved into second place on the Purdue career digs list on Nov. 4, 2007.

Tale of the Century
Head coach Dave Shondell recorded his 100th collegiate coaching victory when the Boilermakers swept Tennessee State, August 30. His team's have posted a 110-68 mark in his five plus years as the Boilermaker boss.

Conference Honors
Middle hitter Stephanie Lynch and libero Kelli Miller were named Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week on Sept. 15 after leading the Boilermakers to their third straight tournament title and marking career milestones at the Utah Classic last weekend.

Lynch garnered offensive honors after earning MVP honors at the Utah Classic, racking up 4.1 kills, 1.4 blocks and 0.6 digs per set over the weekend. The senior totaled 19 stuffs in 14 sets to surpass the 500 blocks milestone, now with 510 in her career. The New Albany, Ind. native led the Boilermakers in kills in all three matches, recording 14 against St. Louis, 18 versus Utah State and a season-high 25 against Utah in the tournament's championship game. In all, Lynch tallied 57 total kills on a .533 hitting percentage, including a .564 mark against Utah in which she put down 10 hits in Set 4 alone. The award is the third of Lynch's career as she was also honored once as a junior (Nov. 5, 2007 Defensive) and once as a sophomore (Nov. 20, 2006).

On the defensive side, Miller became Purdue's all-time digs leader, tallying 76 saves over the weekend to total 1,602 in her career. The senior recorded 19 digs in the Boilermakers' opening match vs. Saint Louis before breaking the previous school record of 1,564 against Utah State with 23 saves. Miller tacked on 34 digs against Utah in the championship game of the Utah Classic, posting the Big Ten's third-highest single-match digs total this season. The effort was Miller's fifth career 30-dig effort, giving her three of the top five single-match totals in Purdue annals. On the weekend, Miller executed on 97 percent of her service reception opportunities and also recorded six assists and one ace in 14 sets. Behind Miller, the Boilermaker defense held opponents to just a .123 combined hitting percentage. The weekly honor is the fourth of Miller's career as she was recognized twice in 2006 (Sept. 4 and Oct. 9) and once last season (Oct. 22).

Accumulating Accolades
The Boilermakers have been well represented on the all-tournament teams at each of its non-conference ventures this season. At the season opening Mortar Board Premier, senior outside hitter Danita Merlau garnered MVP honors, while senior middle hitter Stephanie Lynch and senior libero Kelli Miller earned all-tournament team nods. At the Active Ankle Challenge, Miller took MVP honors, while Lynch and Merlau were named to the all-tournament team. At the Utah Classic, Lynch brought home MVP accolades, while setter Jaclyn Hart and Miller garnered all-tournament team nods. Lynch also was named MVP of the Dayton Flyer Invitational, while Miller and Merlau received all-tournament team recognition.

Lauds For Lynch
Senior middle hitter Stephanie Lynch was one of 12 players named to the preseason All-Big Ten team as announced by the conference on Aug. 14. The honor is the third straight for Lynch, who garnered honorable mention All-America, first team all-region and first team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2006 and 2007.

Lynch averaged 3.53 kills per game on a .318 hitting effort, while also posting 1.38 blocks per game in Purdue's 33 matches. In conference play, the New Albany, Ind., native tallied 3.24 kills per game on a team-best .289 hitting effort, while racking up 1.51 blocks per game. Lynch was a preseason All-Big Ten selection and also earned Defensive Player of the Week honors from the conference on Nov. 5.

Preseason Picks
The league's coaches have high expectations for the Boilermakers this season as Purdue was tabbed to finish fourth in the conference race in the Big Ten preseason poll. The Big Ten coaches chose defending national champion Penn State, which has won the conference title the past five seasons, to repeat as Big Ten champions, Minnesota was picked to finished second, followed by Wisconsin and Purdue.

In 2007, the Boilermakers finished tied for third with the Golden Gophers, marking their best conference placing since 1990.

Fresh Faces
Fans will notice five new faces on the court for the Boilermakers in 2008. Junior setter/outside hitter Sam Ainsworth (Stouffville, Ontario) joined the team in January after transferring from Syracuse. Four freshmen also add depth to the Purdue roster. Middle hitters Laura Boldig (Mattoon, Ill.) and Tiffany Fisher (Topeka, Ind.) could see time at the net, while Emily Ehlers (Mishawaka, Ind.) and Amanda Miller (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) look to make their marks in the back court.

Staff Additions
After completing her volleyball and basketball playing careers, former Boilermaker Brittany Dildine took on a new role this spring as the team's volunteer assistant coach. Dildine, who head coach Dave Shondell has credited as being a major part of the program's turn around, ranks fifth on Purdue's all-time career digs list with 1,243. She averaged 2.67 digs per game, while also tallying 142 aces and 226 kills in her time in the Old Gold and Black.

Katie McGuine, a native of Rochester, Minn., is in her first year as Director of Operations for the Boilermaker volleyball team after serving in the same position at the University of Iowa for the last two years.

Mackey Madness
The Purdue volleyball team will host this free event in Mackey Arena in conjunction with a men's and women's basketball tip-off celebration on Oct. 17. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for the Boilermakers' 6 p.m. contest against nationally-ranked Wisconsin. The basketball celebration will follow the match. Seats are first come, first served, so be there early and stay late.

Kids Clinic
The Boilermaker team and coaching staff will host a free youth clinic open to children 13 and under on Saturday, October 18 from 10-11:30 a.m. E-mail name, age, and shirt size to boilerkids@purdue.edu by Oct. 1 to register. All skill levels welcome. Clinic includes a T-shirt and free admission to the game that night.

 

 

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