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volleyball looks to bounce back Losses to top-rated Lions, Buckeyes make for long weekend BY BRANDAN ALFORD BrandanAlford@Gmail.com volleyball Purdue's the pair of team dropped a road matches over weekend with two more looming in the next few days. The Boilermakers (16-9 overall, 7-7 Big Ten) fell in three sets to No. 2 Penn State (22-2, 13-1) on Friday before succumbing in four sets to Ohio State (16-10, 4-10) the next night. After winning the first game against the Buckeyes, Purdue was poised to bounce back but dropped three straight games in tight fashion, 25-23, 25-23 and 25-22. "Nobody likes to lose like that, especially when you are in a position to win," Coach Dave Shondell said. "I felt like we were going to bounce back against Ohio State. And we played a pretty good match, but it wasn't good enough against a team whose back is against the wall." Purdue played both matches without senior defensive specialist Carly Cramer, out with an undisclosed injury. When asked about Cramer's status for this weekend's competition, Shondell said the verdict was still out on whether she would be available. With or without Cramer, the Boilermakers will head back out on the road this weekend against Northwestern (14-12, 6-8) and Illinois (12-12, 8-6). Having a week to regroup, Shondell noted that serving and blocking have been focal points in practice over the past few days. "We have to serve much stronger than we have the past few matches and blocking has been a point of emphasis for us Purdue. The group also includes No. 20 Christina Ambrose, No. 21 Azariah Stahl and No. 50 Lydia Dimke. Ambrose and Stahl are outside hitters, and Dimke is a setter/outside hitter. "The thing I am most excited about this class is their athleticism," Shondell said. "We've never had a more athletic group. They all have great Volleyball length, jumping signs four ability and physiP u r d u e cality. But maybe signed four Premore importantly, pVolleyball.com they all have great top-50 players to character. national letters of "I learned a intent for its 2014 long time ago recruiting class that if I am goearlier this week. ing to go into the Led by 10thgym every day rated middle with these playPurdue blocker Dani- Dave Shondell wants second-year players, Amanda Neill among them, to start playing ers for four or five elle Cuttino, the like veterans. years, you want to class is one of the and arguably the best in coach do it with players highest-rated in recent history Dave Shondell's 14-year tenure at you enjoy. And everyone is go- all year," Shondell said. "It starts with our veterans. They have to encourage the rest of this team. We have four talented secondyear players in Faye Adelaja, Annie Drews, Sam Epenesa, and Amanda Neill. I told them they have to start playing like veterans. They have to respond to adversity." GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 10 • 43