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last year. So to get them back at Olympic Sports Player-of-the-Week: home was special. Our team was rachel davis mature and determined enough to get that done on the road." Now Purdue turns its attention to No. 8 Minnesota (26-7) and No. 1 Penn State (31-2), two teams that are no strangers to the Boilermaker program. Kentucky (22-10) rounds out the four-team regional. The Wildcats and Nittany Lions will open the regional Friday night before the Boilers and Golden Gophers face off in the nightcap. Unlike most postseason scenarWith the pressure to perform at its greatest at this point in the ios, Purdue enters year, junior setter Rachel Davis has risen to the challenge. She had this weekend's coma pair of standout performances at the Tallahassee sub-regional. petition fully aware Davis posted 34 assists and eight digs in the three-set sweep of the opponents of Colorado State before a near triple-double in the five-set upset in front of it, havof host Florida State. Davis finished with eight kills on .467 hitting ing faced Minnesota with 57 assists and 14 digs. once and Penn State "I think she turned in the best match of her career in that Flortwice this season. ida State win," Coach Dave Shondell said. "She has been fighting a Purdue lost all three bad knee for the past two or three years. But she has been really of those matches, fit the past three or four weeks and is moving quicker. including a four-set "She is playing really well right now." loss to Penn State — Brandan Alford in Mackey Arena on Nov. 17. "You hope that Shondell said. "But you still feel there is anything different from Purdue familiarity will help like you have to watch every bit the last time you saw them. You Veteran Catherine Rebarchak subbed in on Purdue's front in this situation," as much tape, looking to see if still have to do the work. line over the weekend and gave the Boilers a boost. boilers welcome familiar foes BY BRANDAN ALFORD BrandanAlford@gmail.com volleyball Purdue Friday from returns home night only two victories away a Final Four appearance. In order to get there, though, it will likely have to go through two of the Big Ten's best in Minnesota and Penn State. After victories over Colorado State and No. 9 Florida State over the weekend in Tallahassee at the sub-regional, the Boilers (2310) will host the regional round at Mackey Arena in what is expected to be a raucous environment. The upset over the Seminoles was particularly rewarding for a Purdue team that had been similarly upset by Florida State in last year's NCAA Tournament. "There was a lot of motivation in that Florida State match," Coach Dave Shondell said. "They ended what we had hoped would be a Cinderella season GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 14 • 29