NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The Rutgers volleyball team returned home to tackle the nation's tenth-ranked team on Friday with the Scarlet Knights giving one of their best efforts since joining the Big Ten against the Purdue Boilermakers.
 
No. 10 Purdue took the first meeting of the weekend series, 3-1 (21-25, 16-25, 26-24, 25-18).
 
Altogether, the four-set match saw 31 ties and 16 lead changes on the floor of the College Ave Gym.
 

STANDOUT STATS

• Two Scarlet Knights dropped in double-digit kills led by a career-high-tying from the senior lefthander Beka Kojadinova and 15 from swings by junior Anastasiia Maksimova. Both were also responsible for two aces apiece.
• Junior Inna Balyko collected 50 assists, the second most helpers by the Gubkinsky, Russia native this season.
• The duo of freshman Madyson Chitty and senior Mary Kate Painter combined for 32 digs. Chitty registered a career-high 19, while Painter had her first double-digit dig afternoon for the Scarlet Knights with 13.
• Kojadinovic, redshirt junior Shea McNamara and freshman Tina Grkovic all had two blocks each.

KEY MOMENTS

• Set 1 (21-25) | The Boilermakers led by no more than four points. After the visitors took an early 7-3 edge, the set would go on to be tied 10 times with Maksimova knotting the score at 21-21 on one of her five kills of the frame. Purdue, however, would take the set closing on a 4-0 run.
• Set 2 (16-25) | It was another late Boilermaker run that would put Purdue in front 2-0. The set remained neck and neck until the midway point when Kojadinovic tied the set up at 14-14. Another Kojadinovic swing would see Rutgers trail 18-16, but Purude rattled off seven-straight for the two set advantage.
• Set 3 (26-24) | Tied at 18-18, Rutgers outscored Purdue 3-0 to pull in front at 21-18. The two squads traded the next six points as RU led 24-21. At set point, the Boilermakers extended the stanza with three points to tie it up at 24-24. Kojadinovic, who hit .625 in the frame with five kills on her eight attempts, gave the Scarlet Knights the win.
• Set 4 (25-18) | Although Kojadinovic put away eight kills, RU was unable to overcome Purdue's 10-3 opening lead.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Rutgers' third set victory marked the second set win over a top 10 program this season and the first time ever with a set win over more than one Big Ten top ten team. The Scarlet Knights also had a set win against No. 7 Minnesota in 2019 and No. 2 Wisconsin in 2014 as well as one earlier this year versus No. 4 Nebraska.
• Kojadinovic tied her career-high with 18 kills, the second most kills against a Big Ten opponent in a game since joining the league in 2014.  Only Meme Fletcher has more kills in a Big Ten contest with 25 against Maryland in 2015. Kojadinovic also had 18 kills against Princeton back on Sept. 6, 2019.
• Chitty's 19 digs were the most by a Scarlet Knight this season and a season-high for the freshman. Her previous high was 17 in the five-set loss to No. 19 Ohio State. The 19 digs were also the most by a Scarlet Knight in a Big Ten contest since Kaila Cieslik's 19 at Indiana in 2017.
• Painter, who got a start in the fourth set, reached-double figure kills for the second time in her career with 13. She bested her previous mark of 11 against Cincinnati during her freshman year at UCF.
• Balyko's 50 assists were the third most in a Big Ten matchup for the Scarlet Knights. She holds the top three spots having registered 54 earlier this season in a win over Iowa and 52 in last year's victory over Northwestern.

HIGHLIGHTS

 

PHOTO GALLERY

   

UP NEXT

 

• Rutgers closes out the series with Indiana on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the College Ave Gym. Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, fan attendance at the College Ave Gym is limited to four tickets allotted to each coach and student-athlete for family members only.

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