Purdue undefeated in Stacey Clark Classic

Purdue Volleyball hosted the UC Davis Aggies at Holloway Gymnasium this afternoon for the final round of the 2024 Stacey Clark Classic.

Both the Boilers and Aggies arrived Sunday with a 2-0 record this season. UC Davis played catch-up throughout the match but the Boilers managed the win in just three sets and held onto their perfect record.

Here are the three takeaways from the Boilers’ 3-0 win over the UC Davis:

Home court advantage

As the Boilers entered their third game of the season with hopes to remain undefeated, they wore their poker faces and kept their eyes on the gold. The team was collectively locked in to put on a performance for the thousands of fans that packed Holloway to cheer them on.

The hunger to win did not just come from the team itself but was shared throughout the gym. The Block Party made their presence known from the jump with cheers for the Boilers and screams during the opponents’ serves.

A significant amount of the student chanting was directed at outside hitter Eva Hudson. The 6-foot-1 junior has had a great season so far and Holloway’s crowd only encourages her to do more.

Hudson spoke on the impact of the Block Party and how they act as an honorary teammate to the team after the match.

“They are great people who bring so much electricity and energy to Holloway,” she said. “They always win a few points for us every game and we’re always thankful.”

Hudson said her focus for today was her defense and passing but had full confidence in her kills. Hudson once again led the Boilers in kills with 15 and in points with 15.5.

Purdue perfect in 2024 Stacey Clark Classic

Purdue has earned itself the right to call itself Champion of the Stacey Clark Classic once again, with a perfect 3-0 record, and in just 10 sets total.

After besting Kansas State in four sets Friday night, the Boilermakers rolled through round two by beating UMBC in the first three sets.

The final round started with a UC Davis point, but the Boilers soon owned the lead outright. The Aggies tried to play catch up, but after two time outs, they failed, and the set went Purdue’s way 25-18.

The pattern continued throughout the second and third set, with UC Davis closely trailing but not close enough to catch the Boilermakers. Purdue worked its way through the second set by a score of 25-19 and closed out the classic in the third 25-18.

The Aggies managed 103 attacks, three more than Purdue, but the Boilers had 53 kills, 16 more than the Aggies. Purdue dominated in every important category, holding the top four spots on the leaderboards for blocking, points and kills.

The Boilermakers ended the match in the third set securing a .500 hitting percentage, sealing a .450 hitting percentage overall and securing the win on their home court.

Preparations before hitting the road

The Boilers now begin preparations to take their talent on the road to Salt Lake City, Utah to face California. Head Coach Dave Shondell shared that the preparation for an away game is no different than at home and it’s just a new experience for the team to play on opposition’s territory.

“Most of this team has been through the wars of the road,” he said. “The focus will remain the same, which is what we need to get better at.”

In terms of the team's priorities, Shondell believes their energy will be put into improving their passing. He spoke on the team falling slightly short of their passing expectations for this weekend and how they want their passing to be sharper going forward.

Purdue volleyball doesn’t return to Holloway Gymnasium until a Big Ten matchup against Penn State on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.