Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Purdue
Volleyball Suffers First Loss of Season
9/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 22, 2010
Final Stats |
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana University volleyball team (12-1, 0-1) suffered its first loss of the 2010 season Wednesday night, dropping a 3-1 tally to the visiting Purdue Boilermakers (10-2, 1-0). All four sets were decided by just two points (23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 28-26). A crowd of 2,308 people showed up for the sold-out contest, the largest crowd in University Gym history.
Samantha Thrower had the best night of her Hoosier career, blasting 18 kills on 25 errorless kills for a .720 hitting efficiency. Seniors Ashley Benson and Taylor Wittmer attacked at a pace over .300 as well, hitting .310 (14-5-29) and .350 (9-2-20), respectively.
Defensively, Benson and Kelci Marschall recorded a combined nine blocks while Caitlin Cox dug a team-high 14 balls.
Thrower and Jordan Haverly came out firing in the opening set, each putting away five kills to lead IU to a team hitting percentage of .517 (19-4-29). Despite an excellent attack rate of .375, the Boilermakers couldn't slow down the Hoosier barrage. Indiana came away with the first set, 25-23, as a Benson kill sealed the deal for point number 25.
Thrower was nearly unstoppable in the second stanza, stroking at an .889 clip (8-0-9). It was Purdue's turn for an offensive onslaught, however, posting a .500 hitting percentage. In addition, the Boilers owned a 6-1 lead in the blocks category during their second-set victory, 26-24.
In the fourth set, Indiana fended off match-point on three different occasions to even the score at 26-26. Purdue's Ariel Turner garnered her 24th kill of the evening to break the tie, followed quickly by a Boilermaker block to end the match, 28-26.
The Hoosiers are back at it just 48 hours later, heading to Northwestern Friday night for a 7 p.m. (8 p.m. eastern) battle with the Wildcats (10-1, 0-0). Listen in to IUHoosiers.com as Dave Leno and Kyle Kuhlman call all the action.
