Volleyball hammers Hoosiers at Our House

Purdue volleyball played its first match at Mackey Area, home of Purdue basketball, Saturday night.

The No. 10 Boilermakers (15-4, 6-2 Big Ten) hosted the Indiana Hoosiers (9-9, 4-6) for the first of two volleyball matches to be played on Keady Court this Fall.

Mackey Arena was packed for the occasion, and Purdue volleyball put on a show worthy of the energetic crowd, sweeping their rivals in three sets.

“It means more than anyone can say,” Eva Hudson said after the match.

“It's more than just a little stepping stone in the scheme of women's sports, and the fact that we're at 50 years of women's sports is a really cool thing. To be a part of that and to have 15,000 fans is just an absolutely amazing experience.”

Here are three takeaways from Purdue’s 3-0 win over Indiana:

The place was packed

Mackey Arena was packed to the brim Saturday night, but not for a basketball game as it usually would be.

Tenth ranked Purdue hosted rivals Indiana for its first of two volleyball matches this season on Keady Court.

No. 9 Wisconsin will also have the pleasure of playing in a sold out basketball stadium when they come to town for a match next Saturday Oct. 26.

“I can't thank the fans enough. It has been one of my dreams come true,” Eva Hudson said. “Honestly.”

The crowd was loud and energetic, bringing a few new traditions to the table. Fans would accompany each of Purdue’s three touches with a “LETS!”, “GOOOO!”, and “BOILERS!”

To maintain balance, the crowd serenaded the Hoosier’s touches with “I!’, “U!”, and “SUCKS!”.

Free throw fingers have been repurposed, and are now wiggled at opposing servers as they try to gather their concentration.

The Lance Dance made an appearance too of course, bringing fans to their feet and putting momentum behind Purdue leading up to the start of the first set.

Purdue put on a show

Purdue volleyball displayed a product worthy of such a devoted fan base against Indiana Saturday night.

The Boilers took all three sets, and for all but the opening minutes, the match wasn’t a close one.

“Growing up being a Purdue fan and having a hate for IU, I think being able to smack them like that was really cool in front of all these fans,” Raven Colvin said.

Purdue held a .333 hit percentage as a team, while holding the Hoosiers to .061%.

In the second set, Purdue never trailed. In the third, the Boilers held Indiana to 9 total points, the least in a single set in the two team’s matchup history since 1999.

Eva Hudson led the offense in kills and hitting percentage with 17 at .417 %.

The squad will have a much tougher test next time around at Mackey, as the No. 9 WIsconsin Badgers come to town next weekend.

Gold hammers & new records

Head coach Dave Shondell was presented with a golden hammer ahead of Saturday night’s match.

With a three set win over Michigan State at home on Oct. 6, Shondell won his 470th match and became Purdue’s winningest volleyball coach in program history.

Saturday’s three set victory over the Hoosiers marks win 473, and counting.

“My wife will probably put it up on the wall somewhere,” Shondell said after the match.

“I was not expecting that. I was not expecting any of that. It’s nice that people care about volleyball, and I think they do here.”

14,876 was the official attendance total Saturday night, setting a new Big Ten regular season match record.

The previous record was set by Nebraska at a match they held in their football stadium.

Purdue volleyball has the chance to break the Big Ten’s youngest record next Saturday as they welcome the No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers for another matchup in Mackey.