Purdue volleyball takes season opener

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Purdue's volleyball team swept no. 21 Northern Iowa 3-0 in their season opener on Friday at Belin Court. The ninth ranked Boilers won the match 25-23, 25-23, and 25-18 in front of 2,745 fans.

The Boilers won their season opener for the 11th straight season and defeating a ranked foe to start the season for just the second time in program history.

Redshirt junior setter Rachel Davis dished out the ball to five different players in the match and also scored five times off kills of her own. Sophomore Val Nichol led the stat sheet with 11 kills, while senior Ariel Turner and redshirt junior Catherine Rebarchak added nine apiece. Senior Anna Drewry and sophomore Kiki Jones also got in the offensive action with four and three putaways respectively. Rebarchak, Drewry and Jones led the Boilermaker block with three stuffs each.

Defensively, redshirt junior Carly Cramer racked up a team-best 12 digs in her return from nearly a year’s absence due to injury and surgery. Turner followed with nine digs. Turner and Cramer each served up two aces, while Jones also added a perfect serve.

The No. 9 Boilermakers (1-0) return to action at noon Saturday, when they take on George Washington (0-1). Purdue wraps up its home Mortar Board Premier with a 7:30 pm contest against Pittsburgh.