No. 16 Purdue got exactly what it needed Friday night: a clean sweep, a steadier floor game, and a much-needed stop to the skid.
The Boilermakers beat USC 25-20, 25-17, 25-20 at Holloway Gymnasium to pick up their second Big Ten win of the season, snapping a three-match losing streak after going 0-2 on their West Coast trip. Purdue looked more settled back home and never really let the Trojans put together a meaningful push.
A big reason was what happened at the net. Purdue’s blocking was sharp all night, and the middle blockers set the tone.
Dior Charles led the way with seven blocks, the most in the match, and added four kills on seven swings along with two digs. Kate Hansen chipped in two blocks, five kills, five digs and an ace, while Grace Heaney and Mimi Mambu each finished with three blocks.
As a group, Purdue owned the edge at the net, outblocking USC 10-4.
Mambu also gave Purdue the kind of offensive lift it had been missing. After not playing in the Boilermakers’ 3-2 loss to Oregon because of an illness, then struggling in the sweep loss to Washington, the sophomore delivered her best outing of the trip.
She posted a team-high 13 kills on 24 swings with just four errors, hitting .375. Purdue had six players hit above .300, and Mambu’s efficiency helped steady the attack.
That was a sharp turnaround from what Purdue dealt with against Washington, when the Boilermakers were frequently out of system and finished with eight receiving errors. Against USC, that number dropped all the way to one. Purdue also got more reliable passing from players other than Taylor Anderson and Ryan McAleer, which made a difference even when the Boilers were forced out of system.
For Purdue, that mattered. Staying in system is one thing, but scoring when the play breaks down is another, and the Boilermakers handled those moments far better on Friday. That extra stability helped them control the match from the middle of the first set on and finish the night in straight sets.
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