Purdue Northwest Fall Sports Festival Set for Sept. 24
Seven teams will be competing simultaneously when the Purdue University Northwest Athletic Department hosts its first-ever Fall Sports Festival, set for Saturday, Sept. 24, at Hammond’s Dowling Park.
The event, which will feature t-shirt and other giveaways, bouncy houses for the kids, music, local food trucks, and more, is free to the public and gates open at 11 a.m. CT.
The PNW men’s and women’s soccer teams will host St. Xavier at Pepsi Field in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m., with the men's game kicking off first at noon, followed by the women's contest at 2:30 p.m.
PNW men’s and women’s tennis will kick off first with a conference match against league foe Calumet College of St. Joseph at 11 a.m. at the complex’s Community Hospital Tennis Courts, while the Pride baseball team will host the Crimson Wave in a fall scrimmage beginning at 1 p.m.
Finally, the PNW softball team will make its appearance at Fifth Third Field to take on Cardinal Stritch in a fall doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Other activities include a meet and greet with PNW student-athletes, a free poster signing by the PNW soccer teams, a chance to get your picture taken with the PNW Pride mascot, and more.
For more information on the Purdue Northwest Fall Sports Festival, visit PNWathletics.com or call (219) 989-2540.
Purdue Northwest Tops Governors State, 3-1
Behind three players with double-digit kill numbers, the Purdue University Northwest volleyball team came away with a four-set victory at conference foe Governors State University Tuesday.
PNW (6-4, 1-1 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) picked up its first league victory at GSU’s Athletic and Recreation Center, topping the Jaguars (1-4, 0-3) by scores of 25-23, 25-14, 24-26, and 25-22.
Gabrielle Martin (DeMotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley) led the offense with 18 kills and just four errors (.333 attack percentage), while teammate Brooke Ahrens (Covington, Ind./Covington) added a four-set triple double with 13 kills, 21 assists and 12 digs.
Kayla Elsea (Palmyra, Ind./Crawford County) added 11 kills, two solo blocks and two block assists and libero Casey Neulieb (Michigan City, Ind./Michigan City) led the defense with 16 digs and a team-high five service aces.
After a tight 25-23 Set 1 win, PNW took control in the second game, jumping out to a 6-3 lead before rattling off a 12-5 run to go ahead, 18-8 on an Auburn Dodd (Chicago, Ill./Gwendolyn Brooks) kill.
The Pride were up in Set 3, 14-10, but the Jaguars stormed back to tie the game at 21-all late. GSU’s Hayley Wacker (kill) and Ashley Pickert (service ace) would seal the Game 3 win before PNW bounced back to take Set 4, 25-22.
PNW’s Abbe Mullen (Lansing, Ill./T.F. South) added 22 assists and six digs and Martin nearly had a double-double with nine digs of her own.
GSU’s Hayley Wacker (14 kills, 19 digs), Ashley Pickert (13 kills), Erika Halverson (11 kills) and Lizette Gonzalez (33 assists) led the Jaguars in the loss.
Purdue Northwest returns to action Wednesday when the Pride hit the road for a nonleague match at Indiana Kokomo. Match time is set for 6 p.m. CT.