Purdue Sports Update: Oct. 23

Anderson Named Big Ten Setter of the Week

Junior Taylor Anderson secured the Big Ten Setter of the Week award after leading the No. 12 volleyball team to a pair of victories with a 3-1 win at No. 22 Indiana and a sweep at Rutgers.

Anderson averaged 10.57 assists per set, guiding an offense that averaged a .306 clip while holding opponents to .191. Guiding an efficient offense, her setting helped lead to two Boilermakers ranking in the top-8 in the league in both hitting % (Dior Charles and Grace Heaney each averaged over .420%) and points per set last week (Kenna Wollard and Grace Heaney each averaged over 4.45).

The San Antonio, Texas native registered a double-double 34 assists, 10 digs and an errorless four kills on six attacks at Rutgers. Meanwhile, at No. 22 Indiana, she racked up 40 assists, nine digs, a pair of block assists and three kills.

Overall, Purdue hit over .300% in five of the seven sets last week and over .330 in three.

A testament to Anderson’s high-level of play dishing out the ball and defensive performance, the Boilermakers and Nebraska Huskers were the only teams in the Big Ten to rank in the top-5 last week in hitting %, opponent hitting %, and kills.

The honor is the first of the season for Anderson and marks the fifth conference weekly award of the season for Purdue. Meanwhile, it is her fifth career Setter of the Week nod (last: 9/9/24).

On deck, Purdue will continue its road stretch with a Friday night showdown at Illinois followed by the team’s return to Holloway Gymnasium for a Sunday matinee against No. 18 Minnesota for Halloween in Holloway.

Boilers Head to Season Finale at Minnesota

The soccer team will head on the road to play its final game of the season on Oct. 26 at Minnesota.

Following the loss to Northwestern, Purdue has been officially eliminated from Big Ten Tournament contention and will conclude its season on Sunday.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Minnesota is 6-7-3 on the season and posts a 2-5-3 conference record. The Gophers have defeated Rutgers as well as the USC Trojans. Minnesota also posted a notable mark, drawing with No. 9 UCLA in a scoreless match. In its most recent game, Minnesota also battled to a scoreless draw against Oregon.

The Gophers are led by Paige Kalal with five goals and three assists, and both Caroline Birdsell and Freya Jupp who each have four goals.

SERIES HISTORY
The Gophers lead the series history over Purdue, 9-17, where Purdue fell 3-1 in the latest matchup back in 2023. The Boilers have lost back-to-back matches against Minnesota, with their last victory coming in 2021 while Purdue was ranked No. 25.

Purdue and Minnesota met for the first time in September of 1998, where Minnesota took the 4-2 victory in St. Paul.

Wright, Dzirkalis Earn Big Ten Weekly Honors

Daryn Wright and Jānis Dzirkalis earned Big Ten weekly honors after helping Swimming & Diving sweep its co-ed dual vs. Missouri by each winning both of their individual events.

Wright was a repeat winner of the women’s Big Ten Diver of the Week award. Dzirkalis was honored as the men’s Big Ten Freshman of the Week. In Saturday’s victories vs. Mizzou, Wright swept the springboard diving events and Dzirkalis swept the freestyle sprints while also contributing to both of the Boilermakers’ relay winners.

Wright’s ninth career Big Ten Diver of the Week honor makes her the most-recognized female in Purdue history, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Carrie McCambridge (2003-06). Wright has opened her senior season 4-for-4 in event victories over the first two meets.

Dzirkalis also went 4-for-4 Saturday, winning the 50 (19.70) and 100 free (44.24) individually and contributing to Purdue’s wins in the 200 medley and 400 free relays. He anchored the medley relay team to victory with a race-best 50 split of 19.15. His 100 free split of 43.55 on the second leg was second best among the race field behind only relay-mate Alex Hotta (43.51).

Brody LePine, Jonah Lee and Hotta joined Dzirkalis on the victorious 200 medley relay team – making three-quarters of it freshmen. Nathaniel Thomas and Andy Kelly were the other half of the victorious 400 free relay team.

Wright again posted a pair of NCAA Zone qualifying scores on both springboards. Her 1-meter score (316.05) was a team season best.

Diver Holden Higbie was the Purdue men’s last Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree in January 2024. Pat Broderick (November 2023) was Purdue’s last men’s swimmer to earn the accolade.

With Blake Rowe being named the men’s Big Ten Swimmer of the Week on Oct. 1 after the season-opening weekend, Purdue Swimming & Diving has had at least one Big Ten weekly honoree following each of its first three weekends of competition.

The Boilermakers are idle this weekend before returning to action Halloween Weekend for a two-day triple dual vs. Oakland and Cincinnati in Rochester, Mich.