Marquette volleyball's season ends in second round of NCAA Tournament

The Marquette volleyball team couldn't make it back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16.

The sixth-seeded Golden Eagles fell to third-seeded Purdue, 25-21, 25-23, 24-26, 26-24, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at the Boilermakers' home gym in West Lafayette, Indiana.

MU (21-11) made its 12th appearance in the tournament in the last 13 seasons, with the only absence coming in 2021 when the field was reduced.

Last season, the Golden Eagles hosted the first two rounds at the Al McGuire Center and advanced to the Sweet 16 for just the second time. The other trip came in 2018 when they also hosted the first two rounds.

Purdue had the advantage of the home crowd Friday, and MU couldn't get over the hump despite 22 kills from former Arrowhead High School standout Aubrey Hamilton.

After the Boilermakers won the first two sets, the Golden Eagles fought off a match point to claim the third set.

That seemed to give the Golden Eagles momentum and they started the fourth set on a 7-2 run. Purdue fought back to tie it, but MU was on the verge of claiming the set after back-to-back kills by Hattie Bray and Hamilton gave the Golden Eagles a 24-23 lead.

The Boilermakers answered with a 3-0 run, winning the match on a service ace.

The teams met for the second time this season after Purdue won a five-set thriller in Lawrence, Kansas, part of an ambitious non-conference schedule by MU.