The Big Ten is touted for its women’s volleyball landscape, reintroducing the Bruins to teams it hasn’t seen in decades.

And UCLA women’s volleyball (8-7, 2-4 Big Ten) will get another taste of the acclaim as it travels to the Midwest to face No. 10 Purdue (13-4, 4-2) on Thursday afternoon. On the heels of a loss to its crosstown rival USC, UCLA has a chance for redemption.

“This loss is going to light a fire under us,” said freshman outside hitter Kiki Horne. “So when we go into Purdue, we’re definitely going to show up and shut the gap immediately.”

The Bruins and Boilermakers will face off for the first time in 43 years – now as conference opponents in the newly expanded Big Ten.

But amid changes in who the Bruins see across the net – whether it be in the Pac-12 or Big Ten – coach Alfee Reft said standing by the team’s identity and ensuring consistency in execution are paramount.

“I think just handling the things we do at every point of the match – passing the ball, serving the ball in – those are key moments where it’s like, ‘You’ve got to make the play,’” Reft said.

Purdue, touting a 4-1 home record this season, will welcome UCLA in front of its home crowd at Holloway Gymnasium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

And perhaps pushing the balance further toward the hosts, the Boilermakers outshine the Bruins in nearly every statistical category, including kills, assists and digs.

Led primarily by outside hitter tandem Eva Hudson and Raven Gray, Purdue boasts 13.9 kills per set to UCLA’s 13.4, alongside a 0.275 hitting percentage to 0.245. Libero Ali Hornung also outdigs UCLA’s senior libero Peyton Dueck by 64.

Thursday’s match will prove decisive on both teams’ season slates – the Bruins are a loss away from a .500 record, while the Boilermakers are a game back from No. 2 in the Big Ten standings.

Though UCLA’s last six losses have all gone to at least four sets, converting those fourth and fifth sets into wins is something that Reft said will prove a difference maker.

“We have some digging. We have to figure out how to finish,” Reft said. “I’m always proud of how we battled, and we’re right in there with, again, the top teams in the country. We got to figure out how to close these matches up.”

With 14 conference matches still ahead, the Bruins aren’t even halfway through Big Ten play. Purdue is just the next stop on this new, long road.

The Bruins’ and Boilermakers’ battle begins at 4 p.m. Thursday.