NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2018) – Rutgers volleyball took a set off a ranked team for the first time since 2015 during a four-set loss No. 17 Purdue on Friday evening in the College Ave. Gym.
 
THE LINE
No. 17 Purdue (18-4, 7-4) 3, Rutgers (6-18, 0-11) 0 – 25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 25-13
 
KNIGHT NOTES

• The Scarlet Knights won a set against a ranked opponent for the first time since Nov. 18, 2015, when Rutgers took the second set against then-No. 15 Purdue by a score of 25-12.
• Rutgers' 44 digs topped Purdue's 38, marking the second time in the last three Big Ten matches the Scarlet Knights have won the digging category, and the 10^th overall of the season.
• Senior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie matched her Big Ten career high with 16 kills, the 47^th double-digit kill effort of her career.

STANDOUT STATS

• McLetchie's 16 kills was a match-high, coming on a .256 swing percentage with six errors in 39 total attacks. The senior added five digs on defense.
• Freshman outside hitter Tali Marmen chipped in 10 kills for her fourth double-digit performance of the year, throwing in a service ace, four digs and a block assist.
• Freshman middle Merle Weidt put up seven kills on an efficient .455 hitting percentage to go with two blocks.
• Junior middle Jasmine Stackhouse and freshman setter Inna Balyko each had five blocks, while Balyko directed Rutgers' .136 team attack with 36 assists.
• Junior libero Karysa Swackenberg led all players with 16 digs, marking her 38^th double-digit dig mark of her career.

THE MOMENTS

• Set 1 | Balyko assisted five kills and served an ace during a 6-2 run to take a 12-11 lead. The rally was part of a larger 12-5 run that saw RU leading 19-15 after a Swackenberg ace. Weidt's kill made it 21-17 before the Boilermakers rallied for the set's final eight points in a row.
• Set 2 | Down 19-15, Marmen put together a kill and a block on back-to-play points during a 4-0 run that also featured two blocks and a kill from Weidt. Purdue took the lead one last time at 20-19 before Swackenberg's athletic dig went over the net in a perfect place for a kill to spark a 6-3 spurt to clinch the set.
• Set 3 | In the match's tightest set with eight lead changes and 13 tie scores, the teams traded three or four-point runs to ties at 19, 20 and 21-all. A late 3-0 stint by the Boilermakers put the visitors up 24-21, but Rutgers saved a pair of set points on a Purdue service error and Marmen's subsequent ace before PU closed it out.

UP NEXT
Rutgers hosts Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. in the College Ave. Gym.
 
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