NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Rutgers, who entered Friday night's contest having won two of its last three Big Ten matchups, suffered a 25-19, 25-12, 25-21 setback to No. 15 Purdue at the College Avenue Gym.
 

STANDOUT STATS

• Sophomore setter Inna Balyko logged her fourth-straight double-double with 26 assists and 10 digs.
• Senior libero Karysa Swackenberg also registered 10 digs.
• Sophomore outside hitter Anastasiia Maksimova led the attack with eight kills, while senior middle Jasmine Stackhouse and junior hitter Beka Kojadinovic each had seven swings. Kojadinovic collected six of her seven kills in the third set also adding seven digs in the closest frame.

KEY MOMENTS

• Set 1 (19-25) | The Scarlet Knights were unable overcome a hot hitting Boilermaker squad who until late in the set was hitting over .400. Purdue jumped out to a 12-5 lead, but Rutgers went on to score three of the next four points with Merle Weidt cutting RU's deficit to 13-8. The Scarlet Knights continued to chip away at the Boilermaker advantage when one of four first set kills from Jasmine Stackhouse followed by a swing from Anastasiia Maksimova saw Rutgers trail 16-18. Purdue, however, would not relinquish the lead countering with a 5-1 run to stay ahead.
   
• Set 2  (12-25) | Purdue took control with five-straight points to open the second frame and ran out to a 16-3 lead. The Boilermakers' Grace Cleveland collected six kills with a .625 hitting percentage.
   
• Set 3 (21-25) | Tied at 5-5, Purdue was able to go in front with a 5-1 run, only to have Rutgers counter with an identical run. Capped by a Beka Kojadinovic service ace and kill, the Scarlet Knights fought back to trail by one, 12-11. RU however was unable to pull ahead as the Boilermakers used another 5-1 run to pull ahead, 18-13.  One of Kojadinovic's six third set kills brought Rutgers as close as, 20-17.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Rutgers faced its fifth top 25 program of the season and will meet the Boilermakers again on Nov. 20.
• Purdue outblocked Rutgers, 10-5, stopping RU's streak of leading the category over the prior four games.
• Anastasiia Maksimova led the offense for the third-straight game and seventh time this season with her team-leading eight kills.
• Over the last four matches, Inna Balyko has averaged 3.36 digs/set.

UP NEXT

The Scarlet Knights are back home at the College Avenue Gym for the annual blackout contest on Saturday, Nov. 9 against Indiana at 7 p.m. 
 
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