PURDUE SPORTS ROUNDUP

PURDUE SPORTS INFORMATION

CROSS COUNTRY

VALPARAISO, Ind. - The Purdue men’s and women’s cross country teams started the year off with a bang as both teams took the first place in the season-opening Crusader Open.

“Both teams did exceedingly well,” head coach Lonnie Greene said after the meet. “It was a great opener. Our teams stayed together and execute really well. It was a good start for a young group.”

The Boilermakers had 32 harriers in action at Friday’s meet including 22 that made their Purdue debut. That didn’t stop either team from knocking off Valparaiso, Purdue-Calumet, and nationally ranked Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are the 25^th best team on the men’s side and 22^nd for the women.

“When you beat a nationally ranked team like Notre Dame, that is something really special for a young group,” said Greene. “Our teams ran strong and stay composed. Samantha Walkow did an unbelievable job. Notre Dame showed the last 300 meters, but she and the other young ladies closed it out.”

Walkow took first place overall in her first ever race for Purdue and was one of just two runners to finish the 5k in under 18 minutes. Walkow finished in 17:46.1, just 2.2 seconds ahead of Meg Ryan from Notre Dame. Dana Payonk and Autumn Beachy ran nearly an identical race as the two finished fourth and fifth, respectively, just hundredths of a second apart. Both runners finished with a posted time of 18:15.1.

Blair Doney and Linsey Daluga, two of the more experience Boilermakers, were next to cross the finish line for Purdue. Doney finished eighth overall with a time of 18:23.1 while Daluga came in right behind her, crossing the line in 18:24.9 for ninth place. Two freshmen closed out the scoring for Boilermakers as Sharise Lund finished 11^th and Laura Maibuecher finished 13^th in their first collegiate race. All of Purdue’s top seven finished in under 19 minutes, aiding the team to 27 overall place points and the first place finish. Notre Dame finished second with a score of 33 while Western Michigan took third with a score of 89. Valparaiso finished fourth with 107 while Purdue-Calumet was fifth with 149.

“We ran the race that we wanted to,” assistant coach Dave Hartmansaid. “Some of our freshmen got their first taste of collegiate racing. We did a nice job of getting out in front of the pack, but staying poised, controlled, and seasoned. Walkow showed great composure down the stretch. Notre Dame closed the gap, but Sam did a great job and finished it off in the end. I was also very pleased with our freshmen and the abilities that they showed.”

On the men’s side, it was a story of the freshmen. Matthew McClintock showed why he was named a Foot Locker All-American in his final year of high school. The Athens, Maine, native took the top spot in his first collegiate race as he finished with a time of 18:54.8 in the 6k. Classmate Johnnie Guy was the only other harrier to break the 19 minute mark in the race. The Boilermaker freshman was just 2.5 seconds back as he took second place with a time of 18:57.3.

“For the men, all I can say is ‘wow,’” Greene said after the meet. “They did exactly as Coach Hartman wanted them to. Those two guys for us sat back and made a great move with 2k to go. They created a degree of separation that was very noticeable. They closed out and won the race by 350 meters. I am very proud of them.”

Notre Dame didn’t make it easy for the Boilermakers. The No. 25 team in the country took the third, fourth and fifth place spots. Andy Mack and Caleb Kerr were able to take sixth and seventh for Purdue with times of 19:37.8 and 19:42.0, respectively. Again, the Fighting Irish continued to make it tough as they took eighth through 10^th place. However, Tate Schienbein took 11^th for Purdue as the freshman finished in 20:09.2. Tyler Wynn finished out the scoring for Purdue as he finished in 13^th with a time of 20:12.3 to close out Notre Dame and give Purdue the top spot.

“I don’t think I could have ever imagined that we would go 1-2 in the first race of the season,” Hartman said. “Our guys are very talented, but I didn’t expect it this early. They ran very controlled and looked like seasoned veterans. It was a nice, solid opener for the season.”

Purdue finished first with a team score of 27. Notre Dame was just behind as the Irish had a score of 29. Valparaiso was third with 85 while Purdue-Calumet did not officially place since they only raced four individuals.

WOMENS SOCCER

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Chinyelu Asher and Hadley Stuartscored just over six minutes apart early in the game to provide all the offense Purdue women's soccer would need Friday evening in a 2-0 win against Tennessee-Martin in game two of a six-game homestand at the Varsity Soccer Complex.

Both Boilers registered their fifth collegiate goals. Alex Hairstonsetup each score with a right-to-left cross, recording her first multi-assist effort at Purdue (3-2).

Asher's first career game-winner was scored in the 10th minute off a double assist from Marta Lynchand Hairston. The cross found Asher unmarked on the backside of the play and the sophomore buried her shot into the back of the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

Stuart made an impressive sliding flick in the 16th minute to redirect another Hairston cross played from the endline on the right flank. Stuart got a toe on the ball to push it into the top half of the net. Taylor Niewoitplayed the ball to Hairston to help setup the play.

Purdue goalkeeper Clara Kridler made both of her saves in the 24th minute to keep Purdue in front 2-0. She earned her second shutout of the season and the fourth solo clean sheet effort of her career. Kridler made a one-handed save while she was going down to deflect away a shot by Saphyra Coombs-James. On the ensuing corner kick, Alyssa Curtis was able to get a shot off from the left side of the 18-yard box and Kridler located the ball while being screened by players from both teams, making the save in traffic.

Purdue had some quality chances to blow the game open in the second half but was unable to capitalize. Stuart finished the night with six shots and she also created a penalty kick opportunity for the Boilers in the 75th minute. She was taken down by UT Martin (1-3) goalkeeper Mariah Klenke as the players went for the ball on the right side of the 18-yard box. Nicole Hively was selected to take the penalty kick. Klenke made a diving save to her right to deny Hively her first collegiate goal. Jessica Bernardgot to the rebound but missed high on the follow up chance.

Klenke finished with seven saves, five coming in the second half, to help keep her team in the game. The `keeper was tested early in the second half when Stuart headed a service from the right flank, forcing Klenke to making a diving stop to her right. She also stopped Alex Hairstonon a point blank chance about a minute later.

Emma Lancasterhad an active stretch beginning in the 64th minute. She tallied two shots and played two corners during that time, but her best chance to score came on a left-to-right cross to the top of the six-yard box. The freshman was unable to get a foot on the ball and deflect it in the net as is it carried through the mouth of the goal.

Freshman Melissa Casella made her first start for Purdue Friday after seeing action off the bench in each of the first four games. She went the distance along with the center backs Kim Love and Jessica Warren. Outside back Jordan Frick left the field for the first time this season in the second half. Tayler Francel logged 40 minutes to lead the reserves and freshman Kate Foweesaw her first collegiate action off the bench.

The Boilermakers continue their homestand Sunday against Evansville. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL

HOUSTON - It was a true team effort as the No. 7 Boilermakers squeaked out a five-set win over Rice Friday night. Three hitters reached double-digit kill tallies and four players managed 10 or more digs in the victory.

Senior Ariel Turner slammed down a career-best 28 kills, while also adding 10 digs and four blocks. Freshman Annie Drewsblasted the Owls for 16 kills, while hitting .520 on the night. Sophomore Val Nichol added 12 kills, 29 assists and two aces. Sophomore Kiki Jones added nine kills and five blocks.

Defensively, redshirt junior Carly Cramer posted her second career 30-dig effort to lead the way. Redshirt junior setter Rachel Davis put up a 14-dig, 32-assist double-double and redshirt senior Amanda Miller pulled up 13 digs. .Redshirt freshman Kaisley Fisherpaced Purdue at the net with seven stuffs.

The Boilermakers pulled out the five-set win with a 15-9 victory in the decisive fifth set, hitting .346 to Rice's .107 effort and with help from six Turner putaways. Purdue went up 4-0 early, thanks to a block by Nichol and Fisher and two Turner kills. The Owls knotted it up at 4, 5 and 6. A pair of Jones kills, including an overpass putaway, gave Purdue some breathing room at 8-6. Rice was within one at 10-9, but Purdue closed the door with five-straight points. A Nichol kill and a block by Nichol and Fisher started the final rally and forced Rice to use its last timeout. A pair of Turner kills and an Owl hitting error sewed up the Boilermaker win.

The Boilermakers played from behind for much of Set 1, taking a brief lead at 18-17, but never managing to take control in the 25-23 loss. Rice led 5-1 early, but a pair of Jones kills and an ace by Nichol cut the margin to one. Purdue tied it up at 8-8 on a Griffin putaways, but trailed by four at 14-10 soon after. The Boilermakers scored eight of the next 11 points to take their lone advantage of the stanza on an ace by Turner. Rice turned things around with a 6-2 run of its own, going up 23-20 and forcing a Purdue timeout. A hitting error and kills by Fisher and Turner knotted the score at 23, but the Owls stole away the set with a pair of kills. Turner and Jones posted four kills apiece in the stanza.

Purdue returned to form in Set 2, hitting .571 with kills from seven different players, en route to a 25-13 win. Turner racked up six kills and Nichol added four as the Boilermakers spread the offense around. Purdue had 20 kills in the stanza accounting for nearly all of its points. The teams split the first 10 points of the set, but the Boilermakers took control after that. Purdue scored 11 of the next 14 points to double up on the Owls 16-8. Turner downed four kills in the stretch. Rice pulled within six at 18-12 and 19-13, but that prompted the Boilermakers to close out the stanza with six straight points. Kills by freshman Annie Drewsand Griffin started the run. Two kills apiece by Nichol and Fisher end it.

Set 3 was a back and force battle featuring 11 ties and four lead changes. Purdue had four chances at set point, but each was thwarted by the Owls. Down 27-26, Rice got a kill from top hitter Nancy Cole and added a kill by Mariah Riddlesprigger to go up 28-27 and prompt a Boilermaker timeout. A stuff clinched the Owls the 29-27 win. Turner had six kills in the set, while Drews added five. Purdue trailed 16-10, but chipped away, knotting the score at 21. As Turner racked up a trio of kills and Drews got in on a pair of blocks. A Drews kill made it 24-23, setting off the string of Boilermaker set point attempts. Kills by Griffin, Drews and Nichol kept the back-and-forth swing going.

The Boilers led Set 4 nearly start to finish, save a momentary 4-3 deficit, en route to a 25-21 win to send the match to a deciding fifth set. Purdue led 12-8 at the midway point after a stretch including aces by Jones, Davis and Miller. Rice fought back to tie it up at 17-17, but the Boilermakers pulled away with a 4-1 run, including a pair of blocks by Jones and Turner. Drews pounded down three kills in the final seven points, including the penultimate score. A net violation gave Purdue the win.

No. 7 Purdue (4-1) finish out the Tiger Classic with a 2 p.m. Saturday contest against LSU.

WOMENS BASKETBALL

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Big Ten Conference announced the 2013 conference women's basketball schedule Friday, revealing that Purdue is one of four teams in action on the first day of conference play on Jan. 2. The Boilermakers will travel to Illinois while Nebraska is playing host to Wisconsin on that Wednesday. The remaining eight conference teams open the conference season Jan. 3 with Michigan hosting Indiana, Iowa entertaining Ohio State, Michigan State taking on Minnesota and Penn State welcoming Northwestern.

Big Ten women's teams will play a 16-game conference schedule, with each team having six single-play opponents and five home-and-away series. Purdue's single-play games include Michigan, Northwestern and Ohio State at home while facing Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin on the road. Times and television information are still being finalized and will be released at a later date.

After the league opener at Illinois, Purdue for the first time in school history will play at Nebraska. That game is slated for Jan. 5 and has the makings to be an instant classic as both contests last season - including the Big Ten Tournament championship game - went to multiple overtimes. The Boilermakers return to West Lafayette for their first home conference game Jan. 14 against Ohio State. Minnesota then comes to Mackey Arena on Jan. 17.

The Boilermakers will face the Hawkeyes in Iowa City on Jan. 20 before playing Northwestern on Keady Court on Jan. 24. Purdue heads to East Lansing, Mich., for a contest against Michigan State on Jan. 27. Purdue plays host to Indiana on Jan. 31 and will travel to State College, Pa., to face last season's Big Ten regular-season champions on Feb. 4.

After a short break in their schedule, the Boilermakers return to action Feb. 10 versus Michigan in Mackey Arena. That contest has been tabbed as both the National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration and Alumnae Day. Purdue then returns to the road to play at Wisconsin on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14.

The remainder of Purdue's regular season pits them against teams they have already faced, starting with a home matchup against Iowa on Feb. 17 which is the designated Play 4Kay for breast cancer awareness. The Boilermakers then have consecutive road games, the first occurring Feb. 20 against Indiana followed by a trip to Minneapolis to play the Golden Gophers on Feb. 24.

Purdue finishes out regular-season conference play at home beginning with a Feb. 28 matchup against Michigan State before wrapping things up against Illinois on Senior Day on March 3.

The Big Ten is entering into the first year of a four-year agreement that will rotate the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament between Hoffman Estates, Ill., and Indianapolis. The 2013 and 2015 postseason tournaments will be contested at the Sears Centre Arena, while the 2014 and 2016 events will be staged at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The first opportunity to check out the 2012-13 version of the Purdue women's basketball team will be Nov. 4 when the Boilermakers take on Lindsey Wilson College in the only exhibition game of the season. Purdue will play host to the University of South Carolina Upstate on Nov. 10 and then take on Bowling Green at home Nov. 19 before heading to the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Upon returning stateside, Purdue will play host to Georgia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 28 and that contest has been designated as the Pack the House promotion as well as the blackout game. Rounding out the home nonconference slate is Central Michigan on Dec. 2 and IUPUI on Dec. 21.

Purdue has five nonconference true road games on the slate starting with SIUE on Nov. 17. The Boilermakers have three-consecutive away contests in December: at IPFW on Dec. 6, at UT Martin on Dec. 9, at Oakland on Dec. 16 and the final nonconference game of the year will be at Notre Dame on Dec. 29.

2012-13 Women's Basketball Schedule
Nov. 4 - vs. Lindsey Wilson College (exhibition/home)
Nov. 10 - vs. USC Upstate (home)
Nov. 17 - at SIU Edwardsville
Nov. 19 - vs. Bowling Green (home)
Nov. 22 - vs. Marist (neutral)
Nov. 23 - vs. Wake Forest (neutral)
Nov. 24 - vs. Connecticut (neutral)
Nov. 28 - vs. Georgia Tech (home)
Dec. 2 - vs. Central Michigan (home)
Dec. 6 - at IPFW
Dec. 9 - at UT Martin
Dec. 16 - at Oakland
Dec. 21 - vs. IUPUI (home)
Dec. 29 - at Notre Dame
Jan. 2 - at Illinois
Jan. 5 - at Nebraska
Jan. 14 - vs. Ohio State (home)
Jan. 17 - vs. Minnesota (home)
Jan. 20 - at Iowa
Jan. 24 - vs. Northwestern (home)
Jan. 27 - at Michigan State
Jan. 31 - vs. Indiana (home)
Feb. 4 - at Penn State
Feb. 10 - vs. Michigan (home)
Feb. 14 - at Wisconsin
Feb. 17 - vs. Iowa (home)
Feb. 20 - at Indiana
Feb. 24 - at Minnesota
Feb. 28 - vs. Michigan State (home)
March 3 - vs. Illinois (home)
March 7-10 - Big Ten Tournament

All games are subject to change.