Staring down the prospect of being down a set Purdue and Grace Cleveland didn’t blink. Purdue led early in set one. Sixteen points in, 10-6, High Point had already exhausted both their timeouts. The second though did get the Panthers on the right track as they went on a 10-2 run. The High Point offense was humming and Purdue gifted them a handful of errors as the Panthers got to set point, 24-18.
Taylor Trammell got a first ball kill which saved the first set point. High Point gifted Purdue two hitting errors then Trammell combined with Emma Ellis and Grace Cleveland on two blocks. Purdue drew the score even after Cleveland slammed one past the Panther libero. On the following point, she dropped a tip right over the block for a point. High Point got a decent swing on Purdue’s set point which forced Purdue out of system. Jena Otec passed it tight on the net and Cleveland did about the only thing she could, tipping it down, capping off the 8-0 run and 26-24 win.
Purdue kept it rolling in set two racing to a 5-1 lead with a block, kills from both middles, and the first two of Caitlyn Newton’s eight kills in the set. The Boilers steadily grew their lead as they had little trouble siding out. Newton was able to tee off as Purdue stayed in system and moved her all over the court hitting from both pins, the middle, and different sets out of the back row. The Boilers took the set 25-18.
Purdue was in control the whole third set though High Point stayed close for the first half. The Boilers increased their two-point lead, 13-11, to seven, 19-12, with three kills, a Panther error, and two aces from Newton. High Point managed to save two match points but their season ended on a missed serve, 25-19.
Newton had 18 kills and an outstanding .314 hitting effort to go with three aces. Cleveland also reached double figures with 10 kills adding six blocks. Taylor Trammel had seven blocks. Hayley Bush got a double-double with 40 assists and 10 digs. Jena Otec finished with 17 digs.
Purdue outhit High Point .212-.126
The Boilers will face 10-seed Oregon in the Sweet Sixteen on Sunday, at 8:30 ET on ESPNU. The Ducks swept Notre Dame to advance.