Purdue Volleyball Preview: Oakland and Notre Dame

This weekend will be another opportunity for Purdue (3-0) to keep ironing out their lineup and give their underclassmen more reps. Friday, Purdue will take on Oakland at 6:00 P.M. and Sunday they’ll face Notre Dame at 2:00 on ESPNU.

Purdue had a fairly easy go of it last weekend; none of the three teams really threatened the Boilers. Notre Dame, though, will be a good test for the Boilers. Sherridan Atkinson probably won’t be able to put up as gaudy numbers against the Irish but Purdue will need her to be the star for them. She’s shown she can take over, posting nine kills in one set last weekend, but Purdue will need consistent effort and production from her.

Key Players

class, height, position, # name , stats

Positions: MB- middle blocker, OH- outside hitter, RS- right side hitter, DS- defensive specialist, L- libero, S- setter

Stats: K/S- kills/set, B/S- blocks/set, D/S- digs/set. .000- hitting percentage, A/S- assists/set SA/S- service aces/set

Rs Fr. 5’10 S 2 Hayley Bush- 11.44 A/S, 2.11 D/S

Sr. 5’9 L 3 Brooke Peters- 5.67 D/S, 0.67 SA/S

So. 6’1 OH 4 Caitlyn Newton- 3.00 K/S, .257

Fr. 5’7 DS 10 Marissa Hornung- 3.11 D/S

Sr. 6’5 OH/RS 16 Sherridan Atkinson- 5.11 K/S, .409, 0.67 SA/S

Jr. 6’2 M 17 Blake Mohler- 2.22 K/S, .356, 1.22 B/S

So. 5’10 DS 19 Jena Otec- 2.0 D/S, 0.33 SA/S

Fr. 6’3 MB 20 Grace Cleveland- 2.11 K/S, .250, 1.11 B/S

Oakland

The Golden Grizzlies are 3-1 so far this season; the lone blemish on their record is a five-set loss to Liberty. They do actually have an opponent in common with Purdue already. Oakland needed four sets to beat the Bowling Green squad Purdue swept last weekend. Similar to Purdue, Oakland is figuring out life without all-conference performers, they graduated the Horizon League Player of the Year, outside hitter, Darien Bandel, and a four-time, first team All-Horizon League honoree, middle blocker, Sammy Condon. Oakland is not a very effecient team offensively, .175 hitting percentage, which Purdue should be able to capitalize on like they did last weekend.

Key Players

So. 5’6 L 3 Lindsay Wightman- 5.50 D/S

Jr. 6’1 S/RS 6 Jordan Lentz*- 9.39 A/S, 2.28 D/S, 0.83 B/S, 0.28 SA/S

So. 6’1 MB 9 Jamie Walling- 2.89 K/S, .385, 1.17 B/S

So. 6’2 RS 10 Mackenzi Schneider- 2.06 K/S, 1.0 B/S

Sr. OH 12 Aleksandra Malek- 2.61 K/S

Sr. 6’0 MB 28 Krysteena Davis- 1.33 B/S

*Lentz is from From Fort Wayne where she attended Homestead High School.

Notre Dame

The Irish have a new coach this season, Mike Johnson, after Jim McLaughlin resigned this summer for health reasons. Johnson will rely on his stalwart, senior, libero Ryann DeJarld to lead his squad. So far, Notre Dame (3-0) has not dropped a set. The Irish are slightly undersized, but athletic along the net.

Key Players

Fr. 5’10 S 2 Zoe Nunez- 9.33 A/S, 2.44 D/S, 0.89 B/S, 0.33 SA/S

Sr. 5’9 L 4 Ryann DeJarld- 6.22 D/S, 0.67 SA/S

Fr. 6’0 OH 5 Charley Niego- 3.13 K/S, 3.0 D/S, 0.25 SA/S

Sr. 6’2 OH 9 Rebecca Nunge*- 1.11 B/S, 0.56 SA

Jr. 5’9 OH 12 Jemma Yeadon- 3.86 K/S, 3.14 D/S, .253

So. 5’11 MB 14 Hannah Thompson- .476, 1.5 B/S

Sr. 6’2 MB 16 Meg Morningstar- 1.33 B/S, 0.33 SA/S

*Nunge is one of two Irish who are from Indiana. Nunge is from Newburgh, Castle High School. Sophomore, setter Monroe Olsen is from Valparaiso.

AVCA Poll Week 1

1. Stanford (57)
2. Texas (7)
3. Minnesota
4. Florida
5. Nebraska

6. Penn State

8. Wisconsin

11. Illinois

20. Purdue

23. Michigan

RV Michigan State, Ohio State

Kentucky fell from No. 5 to No. 16 after losing to now No. 7 USC, No. 17 Northern Iowa, and No. 15 Creighton last weekend. Texas and Minnesota both moved up a spot after Nebraska dropped to No. 5 from No. 2; the Huskers were swept by Florida although they were without Lexi Sun who is currently injured. Texas however was able to best Florida in five sets. The Gators move up from 7th.