Akasha Anderson Powers Purdue Past Wright State in First Round of NCAA Tournament
In this story:
She carries the nickname "Kash," and on Thursday night inside Holloway Gymnasium, Purdue senior outside hitter Akasha Anderson was money. Her performance in the first round of the NCAA Tournament powered the Boilermakers to a sweep over Wright State to advance to the next round.
Purdue started hot to open the NCAA Tournament, winning the first set 25-13 and setting the tone early. The Boilermakers shared the wealth in that set, with Kenna Wollard totaling five kills, Grace Heaney and Lindsey Miller each tallying four, and Anderson accounting for three.
Then Anderson really started rolling.
She powered Purdue through the next two sets, as the Boilermakers won the second set 25-21 and ended the match with a 25-19 victory in the third. Anderson tallied up 13 kills in those final two sets, with eight coming in the second.
Not only did Anderson clobber the ball against Wright State, she was incredibly efficient. The senior ended the match hitting a sizzling .552, helping the Boilers to a .381 hitting percentage for the night.
"Kash Anderson with 16 kills on 29 attempts with no errors is an incredible performance," coach Dave Shondell said after the match.
Anderson was good all night for the Boilers, but she was especially strong in those clutch moments at the end of sets. The senior says she embraces those moments.
"Dave says the best players play better under pressure, and I think that's something I hold myself to," Anderson said. "Just being able to embody that pressure is a privilege, and the fact that I get to wear Purdue across my chest every day."
Wollard also provided a major spark for the Boilermakers, as she typically does. She ended the match with a double-double, totaling 13 kills and 10 digs. Miller had nine kills, Heaney had six, and Dior Charles added five.
Junior setter Taylor Anderson had another solid outing, recording 37 assists, seven digs, and two kills.
With Purdue's win over Wright State, Shondell improved to 20-0 in first-round games in the NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers will now play No. 6 seed Baylor on Friday evening with a trip to the Regional Semifinal hanging in the balance.
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
Related stories on Purdue volleyball
BOILERS EARN ALL-BIG TEN HONORS: The Big Ten announced all-conference honors for the 2025 volleyball season on Tuesday, and three Boilermakers received first-team honors. CLICK HERE
WOLLARD, ANDERSON STAY LOYAL TO PURDUE: When multiple players hit the transfer portal, Kenna Wollard and Taylor Anderson could have done the same. They explain why they stayed at Purdue. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
Follow SchutteDustin