No. 9 Purdue Makes Program History With Sweep of No. 25 Penn State
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — This season has been regarded as Dave Shondell's best coaching job in his 23-year career at Purdue. Now, there's evidence to back up that argument following Friday night's sweep of No. 25 Penn State. The ninth-ranked Boilers took care of the Nittany Lions in straight sets, making program history in multiple ways with the win.
Purdue improved to 20-3 on the season with Friday night's victory over Penn State, marking the quickest the Boilermakers have hit the 20-win mark in 14 years. Their 11-2 start in Big Ten play is the best ever since Shondell took over in 2003.
Additionally, Purdue had not swept Penn State since 1987, nearly 40 years since taking down the Nittany Lions in consecutive sets.
The Boilermakers were led by National Player of the Year semifinalist Kenna Wollard, who finished the match with 19 kills on 36 swings, posting a .417 hitting percentage. She also had six digs in the match.
Grace Heaney and Akasha Anderson each had 10 kills in the match, as well. Setter Taylor Anderson finished the night with a double-double, recording 39 assists and 11 digs against the Nittany Lions. Libero Ryan McAleer had a team-high 15 digs. Julia Kane had 10 digs.
With Friday's win, Purdue also improved to 7-2 against ranked opponents this season. The Boilers maitain their spot in second place in the Big Ten standings, behind only Nebraska.
Purdue returns to action on Saturday night, hosting Iowa at Holloway Gymnasium. First serve is set for 7 p.m. ET and the match will air on Big Ten-Plus.
Did Purdue end Penn State's ranked streak?
Penn State has been ranked in every AVCA poll since the final poll of 1988, owning a 561-week streak of being ranked in the top 25. That may come to an end on Monday following the loss to Purdue.
Yes, the Nittany Lions are the defending national champions, but they are now 13-10 on the season and own a 7-6 mark in Big Ten play. They entered the matchup ranked No. 25, hanging on by just a thread.
Although Purdue is ranked in the top 10, getting swept by the Boilermakers and dropping their 10th match of the season could be enough to evict the Nittany Lions from the top 25.
If Penn State wants to remain ranked, it's only chance is to beat Illinois in Champaign on Sunday. If the Lions drop that match, their time in the AVCA poll will come to an end after an impressive 561-week run.
Related stories on Purdue volleyball
WOLLARD NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR SEMIFINALIST: Purdue junior outside hitter Kenna Wollard has made a big leap this season for the Boilers. She has been recognized as one of the top players in the country. CLICK HERE
ANDERSON CLIMBS ASSISTS LADDER: Purdue setter Taylor Anderson continues to make a big mark on the program, climbing up the all-time assist ladder over the weekend. 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.
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