Oct. 21, 2008

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The No. 18 Boilermaker volleyball team takes its three-match win streak on the road to Champaign, Ill., on Wednesday, before facing off with Michigan State on Saturday. Wednesday's contest, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network, will be a battle of the teams tied for third in the Big Ten race.

The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: The No. 18 Purdue Boilermakers are 16-4 on the season, including a 5-3 mark in the Big Ten. Purdue brings a three-match win streak into Wednesday's contest.

Last Time Out: The Boilermakers took a five-game match from No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday in front of a Mackey Madness crowd of 10,579 and wrapped up the weekend with a sweep of Northwestern on Saturday night.

Statistically Speaking: Middle hitter Stephanie Lynch paces the Boilermaker offense with 3.62 kills on a team-best .422 hitting effort, while also leading the team at the net with 1.34 blocks per set. Outside hitter Danita Merlau is right behind with 3.14 kills per set. Middle hitter Kristen Arthurs tacks on 2.04 kills and helps out at the net with 0.99 blocks per set. In the backcourt, libero Kelli Miller racks up a team-best 4.37 digs per set. Merlau adds 2.12 digs per set, while defensive specialist Jessica Ullrich and setter Jaclyn Hart pull up 1.92 and 1.83 respectively. Hart also has dished out 9.83 assists per set, while adding 0.83 blocks per set. Purdue has served up 75 aces, paced by Miller's output of 21. Junior outside hitter Sam Ainsworth and Ullrich each have added 15 aces.

Series Information
Illinois (Illinois leads the series 35-32): Illinois won the initial meeting 2-1 in Champaign on Oct. 25, 1975, but Purdue won 18 of the next 22 including an eight-match streak to take the lead. The Illini chipped away at the Boilermaker lead over the next several years, tying the series at 24 on Oct. 21, 1998. That win came in the midst of a six-game streak. Illinois won 13 of the next 15 including six straight, but Purdue has taken six of the last eight meetings, including a season sweep in 2006. The teams split the 2007 meetings, with the road team winning both matches.

Michigan State (Purdue leads the series 37-26): The series with the Spartans has been filled with streaks. MSU won the first four meetings starting on Oct. 18, 1975. Purdue took over winning the next five from 1977 to 1979 then each of the next 24 from 1981 to 1993. MSU won 19 of the next 21, but Purdue has taken six of the last eight matches. The teams each won on their home court in 2007.

Facts About the Fighting Illini
At First Glance: The No. 19 Illinois Fighting Illini (14-5), under 13th year head coach Don Hardin, are tied for third in the Big Ten with the Boilermakers with a 5-3 conference mark. Four of the team's five losses have come at the hands of ranked opponents.

Last Time Out: Illinois split weekend contests with then-No. 19 Wisconsin and Northwestern. The Illini fell to the Wildcats in five sets, but rebounded with a sweep of the Badgers.

Statistically Speaking: Outside hitter Laura DeBruler provides the bulk of the Illini offense with 4.47 kills per set, while also racking up 3.24 digs per set and 18 aces. Outside hitters Kylie McCullley and Michelle Bartsch also add more than two kills per set with 2.81 and 2.15 respectively. Middle hitter Abby Nelson boasts the best hitting efficiency on the team, posting her 1.64 kills per set on a .293 effort, while also serving up a team-leading 19 aces. Middle hitter Johannah Bangert pacs the team at the net with 1.61 blocks per set, while Nelson (1.10) and Bartsch (1.04) also contribute more than a block per set. Libero Ashley Edinger bolsters the back court defense with 4.44 digs per set, while DeBruler (3.24), McCulley (2.43) and setters Lizzie Bazzetta (2.11) and Hillary Haen (2.07) follow.

Stuff About the Spartans
At First Glance: The Michigan State Spartans (11-8, 3-5 Big Ten) will try to snap a three-match losing streak on Friday against Illinois before facing Purdue on Saturday. The Spartans, under fourth-year head coach Cathy George, have faced three ranked foes in their last five matches.

Last Time Out: Michigan State fell to both No. 12 Minnesota and Iowa in four sets last weekend.

Statistically Speaking: Outside/middle hitter Jennilee Rathje leads a group of four Spartans averaging more than two kills per set. Rathje has tallied 3.93 putaways per set, while middle hitter Vanessa King (3.06), outside hitter Becca Zlabis (2.35) and outside hitter Kyndra Abron (2.05) round out the group. King is hitting at a team-best .362 clip and paces the team at the net with 1.30 blocks per set. Libero Allyson Karaba leads the MSU backcourt with 4.32 digs per set, while also serving up 18 aces. Defensive specialist Carli Weiler (2.21) and Rathje (2.20) also contribute defensively.

Comparing the Teams

Statistic     Purdue    Illinois     Michigan State
Hitting %     .231      .212         .236
Kills         12.49     13.14        14.06
Assists       11.21     12.42        12.92
Aces          1.00      1.08         0.89
Blocks        2.65      2.82         2.31
Digs          13.48     15.67        13.23

What a Difference a Win Makes...

If the Boilermakers top No. 19 Illinois on Friday ...

• They will post their third straight win over the Fighting Illini in Champaign, Ill.

• They will have won seven of their last nine contests against Illinois dating to the 2004 season.

• They will move to 11-17 all time in televised matches, dating to 1995.

• They will top their third Top 25 foe of the season. (also #14 Kansas State and #19 Wisconsin.)

Dynamic Duo
Seniors Stephanie Lynch and Kelli Miller swept the Big Ten Player of the Week honors for the second time this season, nabbing Big Ten Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week accolades Oct. 20. The duo, which also swept the honors on Sept. 15, are the only pair from a single team to earn honors in the same week this season.

Lynch tallied 4.4 kills per set on the strength of a .439 hitting percentage, also adding 1.9 blocks per stanza to move into second place on Purdue's all-time total blocks list. Against the nationally ranked Badgers, the senior put down 20 kills at a .459 clip with a match-high seven blocks in a 3-2 win. The next day against the Wildcats, she tallied 15 kills at a .414 mark with a service ace and eight stuffs in a 3-0 sweep. With 15 total blocks on the weekend, Lynch owns 563 in her career and needs just four more for the school record. The offensive accolade is her second of the season and the fourth of her career.

Miller earns Big Ten defensive accolades after averaging 5.0 digs and 0.6 aces per set as Purdue defeated nationally ranked Wisconsin and Northwestern over the weekend. Miller also executed on 44 of 45 (98 percent) of her service reception attempts and helped the Boilermakers to a .320 hitting mark on the weekend with her passing. Against No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday, Miller recorded 20 digs and five service aces, which is the highest total in any Big Ten match this season. Versus Northwestern, the libero posted her fifth 20-dig match of the year while executing on all 13 of her service reception opportunities as she helped pass her squad to a season-high hitting percentage of .352. The award is Miller's second this season and the fifth of her career.

Block Party
Middle hitter Stephanie Lynch is about to put her name atop the Purdue record books in another blocking category. Lynch, the all-time leader in block assists, is just four total blocks away from snatching that career mark from Marianne Smith, who tallied 567 from 1982-85.

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 450. She then surpassed the 500 total blocks milestone on Sept. 13 and ranks among the career top 10 in solo blocks (4th with 103) and total blocks (tied for 2nd with 563).

Rank And File
The Boilermakers moved up three spots to No. 18 in this week's AVCA Coaches' Poll after knocking off then-No. 19 Wisconsin and Northwestern last weekend.

Purdue has been ranked among the nation's top 25 throughout the 2008 season, peaking at No. 15 on Sept. 8, which marked the Boilermakers' highest ranking since earning the No. 13 spot in the 2007 preseason listing.

Since rankings began in 1982, Purdue has been ranked in 88 polls, including preseason and postseason listings.

Against the Top 25
The Boilermakers were slated to face four ranked teams in 2008, based on the preseason AVCA Top 25 poll. The team will face its sixth rank foe of the season, however, in No. 19 Illinois on Wednesday. During the Dave Shondell era, Purdue has beaten 15 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 53-164 all-time record in matches against the Top 25.

Movin' On Up
Outside hitter Danita Merlau sits second in career attempts with 4,668, just 115 off the record. Merlau also ranks among the Top 10 in career kills with 1,554, a mark which ranks fourth. Setter Jaclyn Hart moved into the Purdue Top 10 in career assists with 1,732.

Among the Nation
The Boilermakers rank among the nation's top 50 in several team and individual statistical categories. As a team, Purdue ranks 19th in blocks per set (2.65). Individually, middle hitter Stephanie Lynch ranks 9th in hitting percentage (.422) and 21st in blocks per set (1.34).

Packing The House
The Boilermakers rank fifth in national attendance average with 3,205 per match. In seven home matches, 22,435 fans have watched the team play. Purdue's Oct. 17 Mackey Madness event, which saw the volleyball team take on No. 19 Wisconsin prior to the basketball tipoff celebration, brought in 10,579 fans, the second most ever to see the Boilermaker volleyball team play at home in program history. The tally was second only to the Pack Mackey event on Oct. 29, 1985, when a then-NCAA record 10,645 people came to watch Purdue take on Western Michigan.

TV Time
The Boilermakers are slated to play in five nationally televised matches in 2008 beginning with an ESPN2 broadcast of its Oct. 10 match with Michigan, which aired tape-delayed on Sunday, Oct. 12.

Purdue will be featured on the Big Ten Network four times, including three at home on Belin Court. The Boilermakers' next TV match will air live at 8 p.m. Oct. 22 from Huff Hall in Champaign, Ill. The team's Nov. 1 rematch with Michigan, a Nov. 15 date with Penn State and a Nov. 19 contest with the Illini round out the television slate.

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 1773. 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 111-69 mark in his five plus years as the Boilermaker boss.

Dig For A Cure
On October 4, Coach Shondell and the Boilermaker volleyball team celebrated breast cancer awareness month with Dig for the Cure, a national initiative by college volleyball teams to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. The team raised $1,546 for the Indianapolis Affiliate of Komen for the Cure through dig pledges and a silent auction.

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.

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 Sept. 12-13.

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.

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