WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After trailing 2-1, No. 7 Purdue volleyball (9-1) handed No. 3 Ohio State (10-1) its first loss of the season with a final score of 3-2 (25-17, 19-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-11).
The victory marked the first win over a top-three opponent in Holloway since taking down No. 3 Minnesota on November 21, 2015. Additionally, it was the seventh consecutive win over the Buckeyes.
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Two Boilermakers produced double-doubles: setter Hayley Bush (47 assists, 13 digs) and Caitlyn Newton (15 kills, 13 digs).
As a team, Purdue not only out-hit Ohio State .216 to .209, but the team's ability to defend at the net with an 11-6 advantage in blocks, was the momentum swing needed in key plays.
Senior Jael Johnson led the block efforts by tying a career-high seven block assists to go alongside eight kills (.357 hitting %). Her defensive efforts extended beyond the net, where she accumulated a career-high six digs.
Anchoring the team was graduate libero Jena Otec, who saw 22 digs and 29 receptions in the match.
