Volleyball: Michigan beats Purdue 3-1 on Senior Night

Volleyball: Michigan beats Purdue 3-1 on Senior Night

When you are playing your last home game at Cliff Keen Arena, you want to play well and win it for your seniors. That is just what Michigan did on Saturday as they beat fifthteenth ranked Purdue 3-1 in 4 sets. The Sets were 25-23 Michigan, 25-22 Purdue in set 2, 25-22 Michigan in set 3, and 25-22 Michigan in set 4.

Purdue was tough early on and played a great match in the first few sets. Purdue Head Volleyball coach Dave Shondell said the team played well in the first 3 sets but Michigan decided the game in set 4. “Besides the fourth set, I thought it was good back to back volleyball.” Stating further: “I thought Michigan was sharper in every aspect of the game from serving, to the defense, and they just outcompeted us”. This is Perdue’s first loss to the Wolverines since 2010. Purdue will be taking on the Wolverines next week and Shondell says it should be a good matchup next Wednesday.  “Veteran players have to show up every night and we had some that weren’t at their best” Shondell Says. “You can’t beat a team on Senior night at their place unless you are really really good and we were not tonight” Shondell said. Sherridan Atkinson led the night with 20 kills, 9 Digs and 4 blocks for the Boilermakers. Danelle Cuttino had 12 kills and 6 blocks and Brooke Peters led the team in digs with 15. In all, Purdue had 56 Kills, 53 Digs, 11 Blocks and a Hit percentage of .147%.

For the Wolverines, it’s the first time they beat Purdue since 2010 and the first time they have beaten ranked opponents back to back since 2015 and Head Coach Mark Rosen explained how Michigan got the win over Purdue. “We had not beaten them since 2010” Said Rosen. “I asked them where you were in 2010 and most of them were in 6th grade and that was a long time ago. I told them to play for your seniors and send the seniors on a high note and also play for those before you because we had some great players over the years and they never beat Purdue. We got in some close matches and some 5 sets but just could not get passed them and we play them in 5 days so we will have to be ready again for a battle” Rosen Continued. Carly Skjodt led the way for Michigan with 16 kills, 16 digs and 1 block. Senior Katherine Mahlke had a another great night for Michigan as she had 14 kills on the night. Sydney Wetterstrom had 12 kills and 4 digs in the game against Purdue. Jenna Lerg had 15 digs on the night as well. Teamwise, Michigan had 54 kills, 60 digs, 12 blocks and had a hit percentage of .241%.

Michigan will face Purdue once again on Wednesday in West Lafayette and Michigan finishes the season in Bloomington when they take on the Hoosiers on Friday.