Purdue Northwest Sweeps Goshen to Open Season With a Win
Gabrielle Martin had 10 kills to lead the Purdue University Northwest volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep over Goshen College in the Pride’s season opener Thursday.
PNW (1-0) took all three sets in convincing fashion against the Maple Leafs (3-3), winning 25-18, 25-14, 25-15 at the Fitness Recreation Center on PNW’s Hammond campus.
Martin (DeMotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley) led the way with 10 kills on 34 attaches, adding 10 digs and one solo block. Senior Cami Webster (DeMotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley) added seven kills and 12 digs, and Kayla Elsea (Palmyra, Ind./Crawford County) and Brooke Ahrens (Covington, Ind./Covington) added six kills apiece.
Ahrens dished out a game-high 27 assists, freshman Eudora Negri (Munster, Ind./Munster) had a match-high four service aces, libero Casey Neulieb (Michigan City, Ind./Michigan City) had 11 digs and Elsea and Jenna Pasko (Lansing, Ill./T.F. South) added five block assists each to round out the Pride leaders.
PNW dominated at the net, totaling eight total team blocks compared to just two for Goshen, and the Pride finished with a .252 attack percentage compared to just .061 for the Maple Leafs.
Purdue Northwest played the Maple Leafs tight through Set 1, as the Pride held a 16-15 lead before rattling off six straight points to make it 22-15, aided by two kills by Webster. PNW opened Set 2 with a 5-1 lead and did the same in the final set, jumping out to a 11-3 margin to cruise to the opening-season shutout.
Lexa Magnuson led Goshen with eight kills and Lindsay McQuinn had seven, Ally Roehr added 11 assists and Meghan Manely had 13 digs in the setback.
The Pride return to action Friday, Sept. 2, when they travel to Lima, Ohio, for a four-game stint at the University of Northwestern Ohio Silver Spike Tournament Sept. 2-3. PNW returns home for two matches the following week, hosting Indiana Northwest Sept. 6 at the Fitness and Recreation Center in Hammond, followed by a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference contest against Olivet Nazarene Sept. 8 in the James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex in Westville.
Justin McSurley Picked to Lead PNW Cheer Program
Purdue University Northwest Athletic Director Rick Costello has announced the hiring of Justin McSurley to lead the newly formed PNW Cheer Team.
McSurley comes to Purdue Northwest as an established cheerleading name in the Northwest Indiana region, as the LaPorte, Ind., native serves as the Owner and Director of ICA Allstars, a positon he’s held since 2013.
“We are excited to bring Justin aboard the Purdue Northwest team,” Costello said of McSurley. “His energy and experience will serve our cheer team well, as we work to build the PNW brand and get our fans and supporters excited about the Pride.”
A LaPorte High School alumnus, McSurley was a member of the Slicer cheerleading team before beginning a career as a cheer coach and gym owner with ICA Allstars, also based in LaPorte.
There, McSurley executes the day-to-day operations of the gym, including overseeing coaching staff, the creation of gym programs, as well as development and instruction of cheerleading skills to youth members of the community.
“I’m excited for an opportunity to coach a college cheer team and be a part of Purdue Northwest,” McSurley said. “Creating a strong sense of pride within the university and an exciting game day atmosphere is a big priority as we develop our new PNW cheer team.”
The Pride will host tryouts Sept. 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the gymnasium at the Fitness and Recreation Center on the Hammond campus, followed by tryouts Sept. 13th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the H.D. Kesling Gymnasium at the James B. Dworkin Student Services & Activities Complex located on the Westville Campus.
For more information, email pnwcheer@gmail.com