GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 4 73
BY KYLE CHARTERS
KCharters@GoldandBlack.com
P
urdue has a lot going right as it prepares for its fall
season.
The Boilermakers return 12 of 13 players from a
team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tour-
nament in November; they bring in a four-player class,
one of whom is already on campus now, plus could get an
incoming transfer, adding depth to a team in need of it;
they have a talented attack led by All-America left-side hit-
ter Danielle Cuttino; and their ball control and passing, a
weakness in 2016, has improved after a trio of underclass-
men gained a year of experience.
But part of the Boilermakers' focus now — Purdue is
practicing, as a team and in individual workouts, in prepa-
ration for its four-match spring schedule in March and April
— is making sure their chemistry matches their ability.
"Let's just hang out and enjoy each others' company,"
junior right-side hitter Sherridan Atkinson said. "We don't
have to talk about volleyball, don't have to talk about the
coaches, don't have to talk about school. We can just hang
out. I think that's kind of what we're missing, like a sister-
hood-type feeling, where you're comfortable 24/7 no matter
who you're around. We're getting better at that, but you
gravitate more toward some (teammates) than others, and
that's just natural. But we're trying to do our best to limit
that and be cohesive on the court.
Purdue wants to make sure it's right now, so Boilermakers can be better later
Chemistry Class
