Purdue Sports Update: Sept. 22

Boilermakers Finish 13th at Olympia Fields

The men’s golf team couldn’t make a move in the final round and finished 13^th at the prestigious Fighting Illini / Olympia Fields Invitational at Olympia Fields Country Club in suburban Chicago.

Purdue finished in 13^th place, the same spot after the first two rounds, with a 54-hole total of 25-over par 865 (292-283-290). The Boilermakers finished just two shots behind 16^th-ranked Texas A&M for 12^th place, but 12 shots out of a top-10 finish.  

Purdue couldn’t get anything going in the final round, and while it avoided big numbers with no double bogeys or worse, the Boilermakers managed just six birdies in the final round, including three by Andre Zhu and two by Kentaro Nanayama. Purdue finished last in the field with just 22 birdies during the tournament.

Defending National Champion Oklahoma State surged to the title, rallying from 10 shots back to win the title with a 6-under par 834. Florida finished second at 4-under par 836, while Texas Tech was third at 3-under par 837.

Junior Sam Easterbrook finished tied for 30^th at 3-over par 213 (70-71-72). Kentaro Nanayama played strong golf over the last two days, finished tied for 42^nd at 7-over par 217 (77-68-72). Nanayama was one of 24 golfers to play even-par or better over the last two rounds.

Sophomore Supapon Amornchaichan finished tied for 53^rd at 9-over par 219 (73-69-77). Amonchaichan saw a streak of 19 straight rounds of 75 or lower end.

Andre Zhu tied for 56^th at 10-over par 220 (75-75-70), while freshman Will Harvey was tied for 73^rd at 16-over par 226 (74-76-76).  

Playing as an individual, Jenson Forrester also tied for 73^rd at 16-over par 226 (73-74-79).

Purdue will be back in next Monday and Tuesday at the Windon Memorial Classic, held at Knollwood Country Club in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Volleyball Win Streak Reaches Seven

With its seventh straight win, the No. 11 volleyball team closed out non-conference action with a 9-1 record, following a 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-17) win vs. IU Indy (6-6) at home.

The Boilermakers tied a season-high 12 blocks in the effort, including eight over the final two sets.

Key Performances:

• Kenna Wollard powered down 20 kills on a .357 clip, leading all players
• Grace Heaney’s efficiency led to an errorless 14 kills on 30 attacks (.467%
• Taylor Anderson racked up 37 assists, six digs and a block while leading the team to a .500 hitting clip in Set 3 and a .419 clip in Set 4.
• Bianka Lulic ended the day with a .700 attack %, with eight kills and just one error and three blocks.

Boiler Notes

• Purdue’s 9-1 non-conference record is the program’s best since 2022 (also 9-1). In all, it’s the 11th time the Boilers have finished non-conference play with one loss or fewer.
• Since 2014, Purdue is 99-15 in non-conference matches (87%).
• Purdue improves to seven consecutive wins
• The Boilermakers improved as the match went on. Over the final two sets alone, Purdue totaled just two attack errors (one per set), tied a season-high for attack % in a set (.500) and registered an 88% sideout in the final frame.
• Purdue tied a season-high with a .500 attack % in Set 3, committing just one attack error as a team and racking up five total blocks, including back-to-back blocks to seal the set win.
• Bianka Lulic heated up in the final set, going a perfect 4-for-4 on the attack and two blocks, including one solo.
• Heaney’s efficiency on the right side has led to three matches above .400% on the attack, two of which have come in the last three matches (season-high .515 vs. #10 SMU and .467 vs IU Indy)
• Lulic made her second career start as a Boilermaker, and thus setting season-highs in every statistical category.

Purdue (8-1) pushed its winning streak to six consecutive matches as the Boilermakers downed Ball State (4-7) in Worthen Arena, 25-17, 25-21,

With the sweep, Purdue has won 12 of the last 13 sets against its opponents.

No. 11 Purdue closes out non-conference action on Sunday at home vs. IU Indy in a Gold Out match.

Notes

• Kenna Wollard set a career-high behind her 25 kill effort on a season-high .435 attack %.
• Taylor Anderson produced 43 assists in just three sets of action and an errorless six kills.
• The team’s .372 attack % was just shy of a season-high.
• Grace Heaney set a career-high 15 digs alongside eight kills.
• Wollard hit .714% in Set 1 with a career-high 11 kills with just one error on 14 swings.
• Purdue has hit over .400 in a set in the last three consecutive matches (Houston, SMU, Ball State).
• Bianka Lulic made her debut as a Boilermaker tonight, posting two kills and a block.
• Nataly Moravec started the third set, posting an errorless four kills on nine attacks (.444)
• The win marked the third sweep in the last four matches.
• It was Wollard’s seventh career match hitting .400 or better.

Up next, No. 11 Purdue will open Big Ten action in Mackey Arena, hosting Washington on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network, followed by Illinois on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. Prior to the Illinois match at 12 p.m. ET, fans can enjoy a free-to-attend Block Party event, hosted by Purdue Athletics in the Sally & Bob Weist Plaza, located between Holloway Gymnasium and Mackey Arena. Inflatables, music, food trucks including The Tap, bracelet making, 1v1 basketball pop-a-shot, posters, prizes, and more will be available.

Soccer Drops Pair

Soccer created plenty of chances Sunday afternoon but couldn’t find the finishing touch, falling 2–1 at Maryland’s Ludwig Field.

The Boilermakers outshot the Terrapins 20–9, but a second-half strike made the difference as Purdue dropped to 4–5–2 (1–2–0 B1G) on the season.

Maryland struck first in the 30th minute when Ava Morales fired in her third goal of the season. Purdue responded before halftime, equalizing in the 40th minute as Irene Campo finished off a rebound shot, for her fourth goal of the season.

The Boilermakers came out aggressive after the break, tallying 12 second-half shots and forcing Maryland goalkeeper Faith Luckey into six saves.

Maryland broke through again in the 65th minute, when McKinley Heaven converted off a feed from Emily Lenhard to restore the lead.

Purdue pushed hard late—Megan Santa Cruz, Cherry Yu, and Campo each had shots on target in the closing minutes—but Luckey stood tall, finishing with eight saves to preserve Maryland’s win.

Purdue came up just short in its Big Ten home opener Thursday night, falling 2–1 to Iowa at Folk Field.

The Boilermakers battled back to equalize in the second half but conceded a heartbreaking game-winner in the final minute.

After a first half where Purdue managed only one shot, the Hawkeyes struck first in the 62nd on a strike from Price Loposer . Just three minutes later, Purdue answered. Megan Santa Cruz calmly buried a penalty kick in the 66th minute for her third goal of the season, pulling the Boilermakers level and swinging momentum back in their favor.

The two sides traded chances down the stretch, with Emily Edwards making several key saves to keep Purdue in the match. But with just 12 seconds remaining in regulation, Iowa’s Berkley Binggeli converted off an assist from Abby Skiff to hand Purdue a crushing defeat.

The Boilermakers were limited to four shots on the night, with Santa Cruz providing both shots on target. Edwards finished with six saves, while the Purdue back line—anchored by Zoe Cuneio, Margaux Chauvet, and Lauren Adam—fought hard against a Hawkeye attack that generated 20 shots and five corners.