West Lafayette, IND – The No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers punched their ticket to the NCAA Regional Semifinals for the third consecutive season, defeating the No. 6 seed Baylor Bears 3-1 (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20) in a thrilling second-round match on December 5, 2025, at Holloway Gymnasium. The victory was a true testament to the Boilermakers’ strength at the net, as their defense proved to be the decisive factor, establishing dominance early and often to control the momentum of the match.

➡️  Purdue v Baylor photos

Purdue’s defense set the tone immediately, turning the home court into their own personal “Block Party” against the Bears. The Boilermakers recorded an impressive 20 blocks on the night, consistently stifling Baylor’s attack and keeping the visiting team off balance. This defensive wall was particularly evident in the first set, where Purdue rejected five Baylor attempts and cruised to a comfortable 25-16 win. Their powerful front-row play complemented a highly efficient offensive start, leading to a second set where Purdue maintained its stride, taking an early 15-7 lead before closing out a 25-19 victory and a commanding 2-0 match lead.

The match took a dramatic turn in the third set, with Baylor showing the resilience of a championship-caliber team. Despite falling behind 20-17, the Bears mounted a formidable comeback, fueled by a key 5-0 run that included two kills and a block from junior middle blocker Victoria Davis. The fight was evident, and a late cross-court spike from redshirt junior Brielle Warren—a former Boilermaker—kept the Bears’ tournament hopes alive as they narrowly took the set, 25-23, to force a fourth frame. Baylor’s determination in this set proved they wouldn’t be swept, reflecting their season-long reputation for fighting back in adverse situations.

Despite the setback in the third set, Purdue quickly regrouped and put their defensive and offensive stars back in sync for the fourth. The two teams traded blows in the early points, but the Boilermakers’ overwhelming talent at the net and consistent offense allowed them to eventually pull away. Purdue’s balanced attack was spearheaded by stellar performances from Kenna Wollard and Akasha Anderson, who delivered key kills down the stretch to secure the victory. Wollard finished the night with a team-high 18 kills on 34 swings, while Anderson was right behind her with 17 kills on 36 attacks.

The Boilermakers’ offensive efficiency complemented their defense, allowing them to hit .405 as a team across the four sets. This performance highlighted the team’s depth and execution, particularly from players like Lindsey Miller, who added 10 kills and 3 block assists, and Dior Charles, who contributed seven kills and five blocks. Baylor’s effort was led by Victoria Davis with 13 kills on a stellar .458 hitting percentage, but overall, the Bears struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm against the Purdue block, finishing with a .250 hitting percentage. Freshman outside hitter Ksenia Rakhmanchik, a key player in the first round, was notably held in check by the Boilermaker defense.

With the win, the 26-6 Purdue Boilermakers now advance to the Regional Semifinals, or “Sweet 16,” maintaining a remarkable tournament run that has already defied pre-season expectations after being picked to finish seventh in the competitive Big Ten. The loss ends the season for the 18-10 Baylor Bears, marking the third consecutive season the team has been eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The future remains bright for the young Baylor squad, but on this night, the superior blocking and balanced attack of Purdue proved too much in front of an electric home crowd.