Oct. 19, 2001

Final Stats

West Lafayette, Ind. - The Illinois volleyball program continued its outstanding play tonight, sweeping the Purdue Boilermakers on the road by the score of 30-23, 30-26, 30-22. With the win, Illinois improves to 13-5 on the season and stands in fourth place in the Big Ten Conference at the halfway point of the double round-robin schedule with a 6-4 record in league play.

The Illini have now won five matches in a row overall and four consecutive Big Ten matches, their longest streak since winning five straight league games in October of 1999.

Illinois hit an outstanding .353 as a team against Purdue, registering its highest attack percentage in ten conference matches on the season. Four Illini players finished the match in double figures in kills as junior setter Betsy Eiserman distributed the ball evenly among her hitters throughout the evening. Eiserman finished with 44 assists.

Junior Sue Webber and senior Lydia Gard tied for match-high honors in the contest, each recording 12 kills. Gard hit .474 on the evening (12 kills, 3 errors, 19 attacks) while Webber hit an efficient .409 (12-3-22). Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week Shadia Haddad chipped in with 11 kills and seven digs, while sophomore Lisa Argabright added 11 kills on .400 hitting.

Illinois continued its dominance at the net with superb blocking. The Illini showed Purdue why they rank first in the league in blocking, as the Orange and Blue out-blocked the Boilermakers by an impressive 14-4 margin. Argabright tied her career high with eight blocks, while Gard and Webber added five blocks each.

Illinois next hosts nationally ranked Minnesota at Huff Hall on Friday, Oct. 26. Match time is set for 7 p.m.