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volleyball captures south florida invitational BY BRANDAN ALFORD BrandanAlford@Gmail.com Florida last Purdue traveled tocame away weekend and with a tournament title, winning three matches en route to taking the South Florida Invitational. The 21st-ranked Boilers (62) swept Florida Atlantic (5-5) to open the weekend before a hard-fought, back-and-forth fiveset victory over Pittsburgh (7-3). Purdue closed the weekend with a sweep of the host Bulls (5-6) "We were really surprised with Pittsburgh this weekend and how much better they played," Coach Dave Shondell said. "We've played them three times over the past three years and they looked a lot different this time around with a new coach. "That was a back-and-forth slugfest against Pitt. That is a Set It Up With Rachel Davis team that is going to surRebarchak, whom Shon"Those teams could be simiprise some people this dell had described as the lar to the teams we saw last weekyear in the ACC." Boilers' most consistent end," Shondell said. "They have all Purdue's defense player earlier in the non- played respectable schedules so played well in the three conference season. far, and that's exactly what we matches as the BoilerShondell described need right now." makers accumulated big Rebarchak's status as daySoccer takes two block numbers and limitto-day. He was unsure if For the first time this season, Annie Drews ed their three opponents she would be in action to .098 hitting. this weekend but was op- Purdue was able to follow up a Freshman middle blocker timistic she could return by the Friday victory with another two Faye Adelaja played especially start of Big Ten play. well, accumulating 19 blocks to In Rebarchak's abgo with 12 kills. Those perfor- sence, sophomore Annie mances earned her the Big Ten's Drews had a strong tourFreshman-of-the-Week honors nament at outside hitter, as well as Big Ten Co-Defensive averaging nine kills per Player-of-the-Week. match while adding seven "Faye has really been the sil- blocks on the weekend. ver lining so far while we haven't "For a player like Anhad a great start to the season," nie, it is just a matter of Shondell said. "She has really time," Shondell said. "She is been a pleasant surprise. a great player and is always "Our defense as a whole has going to put out a great efreally been a focal point for us in fort. You don't worry about practice and we have seen a lot that type of player." of progress in that. Our front line The Boilermakers replayers have really taken great turn home this weekend pride in getting better." to host the Active Ankle Purdue was forced to play Challenge. The event will much of the weekend's matches feature Syracuse (4-5), without senior Catherine Rebar- Northern Kentucky (4-5) chak after the outside hitter ex- and Florida International perienced an abdominal strain (5-4). It will be the BoilerPurdue against Florida Atlantic. The makers' final non-conferAlex Hairston had two goals for Purdue last weekend, as injury is a blow to a Purdue of- ence event before openthe Boilermakers got a sweep. fensive attack that had relied on ing Big Ten play. GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 4 • 36