Career nights from Eva Hudson, Taylor Anderson advance Purdue volleyball into the Sweet 16
WEST LAFAYETTE ― Purdue volleyball's Eva Hudson kept attacking the net and feeding off the energy off the sellout crowd at Holloway Gymnasium.
Even after being pressured in the third set, the sophomore wasn't about to let her team slip after a two-set lead began to evaporate against Marquette's invigorated offense.
The captainship of Hudson ultimately paid dividends for the Boilermakers.
Hudson slammed home a career-high 27 kills on a .370 hit percentage and was the driving force toward Purdue outlasting Marquette in four sets 25-21 25-23 24-26 26-24 during the NCAA Tournament's second round on Friday night.
Graduate senior defensive specialist Maddie Schermerhorn aced a serve through the center to clinch the match and sent the arena into a frenzy. Schermerhorn had 25 digs.
Freshman Chloe Chicoine added 15 kills and junior Raven Colvin made 12 kills in another balanced attacking effort by Purdue's hitting triumvirate.
"Since we have so many starting freshmen I know I'm one of the older people on the team and that doesn't sound like a lot when you're a sophomore," Hudson said. "I had to stay cool and composed and know that no matter how hard I swung, the team was going to cover it."
Purdue (23-8) advanced to the Sweet 16 and will play either Hawaii or No. 2 seed Oregon in Madison, Wisconsin, on Dec. 7.
Hudson's powerful attacks at the net were matched by a historic performance from freshman setter Taylor Anderson. Anderson set a Purdue program record with 60 assists along with 15 digs.
The Boilermakers were taken out of their rhythm during the third set and then fought back from a 15-12 deficit in the fourth.
Freshmen Lizzie Carr and Grace Heaney each played small but important roles in the fourth set adding two kills. Heaney's skills as a left-handed player did enough to distort Marquette's defense and open the floor for Hudson, Chicoine and Colvin.
"We got unique freshmen that don't play like freshmen,'' Purdue coach Dave Shondell said. "Grace is one of them. Stuff just doesn't bother her. She twisted her ankle about four weeks ago and so we went with Kenna but we knew that Grace was ready. So I felt things started getting stale for us and that's why we brought in Lizzie Carr. Heaney came off the bench and has a rubber arm and it's just hard to read."
Multiple pieces were required to put together Purdue's ninth consecutive win. It call came together and things have been clicking as Boilermaker loyalists were treated to one final boisterous home victory in Holloway Gymnasium before traveling to Madison.
Hudson's leadership from the back row and in the huddles were a factor leading to career nights in both hitting and setting.
"I've been competitive ever since I was little," Hudson said. "My mom always says back when I was playing soccer I would grit my teeth and go. And that's how we all go. We have some great competitors and I know when I went after that ball that Maddy would be there to send it over. It's just having the team together and competing together is awesome."
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: NCAA Tournament: Purdue volleyball tops Marquette to earn Sweet 16 bid
