The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Purdue vs. SMU
12.03.2015 | Volleyball
Four Boilermakers reached double-figures in kills led by Faye Adelaja’s 14 blasts
AUSTIN, Texas – On Thursday night in NCAA Tournament First Round action at Gregory Gym, four Purdue players reached double figures in kills, led by redshirt sophomore middle blocker Faye Adelaja's 14, as the Boilermakers (23-9) eliminated SMU (27-6), 25-27, 25-17, 28-26, 25-16.
Adelaja was joined on the team in double figures for kills by senior outside hitter Annie Drews (13), senior outside hitter Sam Epenesa (11) and sophomore middle blocker Danielle Cuttino as Purdue out-hit the Mustangs during the match, .280-.179.
SMU took control of the opening set against the Boilermakers, running off four straight points to begin the match while nabbing a 5-1 lead on the strength of a trio of kills from senior outside hitter Abbey Bybel.
Consecutive kills from Drews and sophomore outside hitter Azariah Stahl as well as a pair of attack miscues from SMU junior middle blocker Kristen Stehling cut the advantage to just one at 9-8 before the Mustangs ran off three consecutive points to re-take control.
After trailing by as many as five at 16-11, Purdue utilized a 9-4 spurt to battle back and dead-lock the set for the first time at 20-all as SMU head coach Lisa Seifert was forced to burn a timeout.
The break failed to stem the Boilermakers momentum, however as back-to-back Epenesa blasts pushed Purdue to a 23-21 lead.
Purdue served for the first set at 24-23, but a Lydia Dimke service error and a Drews attack miscue instead handed a set point to SMU. Despite failing to close out things at that point, Bybel's seventh blast soon finished off the Mustangs' 27-25 victory.
Starting the second set, it was the Boilermakers turn to take quick control as consecutive kills by Cuttino and Drews boosted Purdue in front, 6-1.
The Black & Gold advantage continued to expand as a Kate Workman service error and a Stahl drive made it 14-4.
SMU refused to quit fighting, though, as a Brooke Peters service error ignited what turned into a 6-1 spurt, allowing the Mustangs to chip the deficit to 15-10.
The Red & Blue eventually drew within four points on four different occasions, the last at 20-16, before Purdue ripped off a 5-1 run to even the match at a set apiece, 25-17.
Following the 10-minute break, the third set took on more of a back-and-forth style with neither squad able to move in front by more than a pair of points until the Boilermakers managed kills from Cuttino and Epenesa to take a 12-9 lead.
The Mustangs battled to take one-point advantage on kills from senior outside hitter Cailin Bula and Hegarty, but Purdue answered with an Epenesa stuff that handed the lead right back to the Boilermakers, 20-19.
Hegarty took control briefly for SMU, registering consecutive kills to push the Mustangs to a two-point lead, but again the Black & Gold would answer earning a set point on a Epenesa blast.
Finalizing the third set eventually required extra play as a Drews kill and a Stehling attack miscue finally handed Purdue a two-sets-to-one advantage via a 28-26 win.
The teams took turns leading in the early part of the fourth set before SMU could finally secure the first multiple-point gap at 8-6 on a combined block from Stehling and Bula.
The gap grew to 15-11 on another Stehling kill as Purdue coach Dave Shondell brought an end to the action with a timeout. The break did the trick as the Boilermakers rattled off four consecutive points to tie things up and cause Seifert to burn a TO.
The run continued as a Drews blast and an Ashley Evans block boosted the Black & Gold to a three-point lead. From there the Boilermakers quickly closed out the match with six consecutive points as Cuttino's final kill sealed the 25-16 set victory.
