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What was that middle school volleyball coach in Indianapolis thinking? You know, the one who cut Purdues Danielle Cuttino, back in eighth grade.The junior outside hitter, the espnW player of the week, posted a .333 hitting percentage in the Boilermakers victories at Stanford and against Cal Poly last weekend in the Stanford Invitational. That includes 18 kills and four blocks in the upset against then-No. 9 Stanford.Cuttino followed that up with a career-best 21 kills and four blocks against Cal Poly. Purdue (7-1) left the West Coast with a pair of wins good enough to move up six spots in this weeks American Volleyball Coaches Association poll to No. 14.There just cant be many people in the country who are playing at the level shes playing right now, Purdue coach Dave Shondell said.Cuttino holds no grudges about those early days when she was all about playing center for the basketball team.I was totally out of my comfort zone trying out for volleyball, said Cuttino, whose older sister, India, played volleyball for Vincennes University and younger sister, Shavona, is a redshirt freshman for the Boilermakers. I didnt even know the rules.But the following year, she wasnt terribly motivated about the work needed to get in top shape for basketball at Ben Davis High School.The reason I actually tried out again is because I wanted to get out of the conditioning for basketball season, she said.It didnt take so long before her new sport came naturally, and by sophomore year, Cuttino was MVP and joined a club team. By her senior season, Cuttino was a member of the U.S. junior national volleyball team and courted by many of the top college programs in the nation.Shondell considered the 6-foot-4 Cuttino a game-changer when she signed, and this year, thanks to a position change, thats proven to be the case.Shondell has only lost four players to transfer in his 14 years in West Lafayette, Indiana, two after the 2015 season when Lydia Dimke switched to Creighton and Alexa Smith to Colorado. Needing to boost Purdues outside hitting, he thought Cuttino, a middle blocker since high school, could make the transition best.Cuttino struggled against Kentucky on opening weekend, hitting .027 with 10 attack errors contributing to a 3-2 loss.After that Kentucky game, it made me sick, she said. I watched the film over and over again. I dont know why I was torturing myself, but I was, just to see how I could improve as a player. Once I watched the film, I saw so many things I was doing.Cuttino recognized her tendency to be overeager caused her to go for the ball too early instead of waiting for the set. A series of practices corrected her form.Shes been splendid since, hitting .354 during the past five matches and averaging 4.58 kills per set.Stay aggressive, Shondell often reminds. No one can stop you.Certainly the Cardinal couldnt, even after pulling out that first set 33-31 and coasting in the second, 25-12.When we went into the locker room, it was like we hadnt even played yet, Cuttino said. Once we started the third set, no one was tired. We took it one ball at a time. We knew it was doable to come away with the win.Purdue overcame a Stanford match point in the fourth set before surviving 28-26. Six kills from Cuttino in the fifth propelled the Boilermakers to a 15-11 victory.The following night against Cal Poly, Cuttino hit a team-best .447; her 21 kills put her over 500 for her career. More than the numbers, Shondell appreciated the leadership Cuttino showed on the bench.Purdue dropped the third game of the set against the Mustangs and a sluggish start in the fourth caused him to call a timeout. Danielle was out of the game at that time, but she delivered a lip sandwich to our team, Shondell said. She got into those players about competing and the importance of communicating. A year ago she wouldnt have done that.The maturity shes shown in the last six months is unlike anything Ive seen.A year ago, Cuttino, also this weeks Big Ten player of the week, said she would have deferred to Purdues six upperclassmen. The mass communications major has grown increasingly comfortable being outspoken with help from Purdues John Wooden Leadership Institute, which utilizes the legendary coachs Pyramid of Success to foster the personal growth of its student-athletes.Ive learned when its appropriate to say certain things and when its not, she said.Now Cuttino is hyped about how high the Boilermakers, picked ninth in the Big Ten, can climb in the sports toughest conference. Seven Big Ten teams are represented in the top 25 and three are in the top 10.She likes their chances, noting, I try not to get in my own head too much, but Coach has told me, Be fearless. No one can stop you. Dave Winfield Jersey . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. Jack Morris Jersey . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. http://www.bluejaysonline.com/blue-jays-clay-buchholz-jersey/ . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Toronto Blue Jays . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Rowdy Tellez Jersey . Once again, DeLaet finished tied for second at a PGA Tour stop on the weekend, this time at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The pride of Weyburn, Sask. PORTLAND, Ore. -- The odds stacked against his underdog side, Croatian captain Zeljko Krajan was brimming with confidence Sunday morning before the reverse singles match in the Davis Cup quarterfinal tie against United States.Marin Cilic and Borna Coric backed up their captains belief in a stirring rally, winning matches to give Croatia a 3-2 comeback victory at the Tualatin Hills hard courts.Today, I knew they were going to bring the quality, Krajan said.Cilic got in started, beating John Isner 7-6 (11-9), 6-3, 6-4. Coric then topped Jack Sock 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.The U.S. lost for the fourth time in 161 tries when leading 2-0 lead in a Davis Cup tie.After the United States swept the singles matches Friday, Cilic and Ivan Dodig kept Croatia alive Saturday with a four-set victory over twins Bob and Mike Bryan in doubles.Its really unbelievable, Krajan said. I would say shocked from this win. Looking back on Friday and being 2-love down and then playing against the Bryans yesterday, it didnt look very positive for us.Croatia will host France -- a 3-1 winner at the Czech Republic -- in the World Group semifinals Sept. 16-18. Croatia reached the semifinals for the first time since 2009. It won its only Davis Cup title in 2005.In the other semifinal, defending champion Britain will host Argentina.Cilic set the tone for the comeback against Isner, a decision that was closer than the score indicated. Cilic won a marathon tiebreaker in the opening set, then broke Isners serve once in the next two sets to pull out the win.The opening set was riveting. Isner was hot, allowing Cilic to win only one point during his first 25 serves. But the American was unable to break Cilic, forcing a tiebreaker. Cilic won a couple points off Isners serve late in the tiebreaker to pull out an 11-9 win, setting off a torrent of emotion along the Croatia sideline.That was definitely a tough task, but I stayed in there mentally, Cilic said. I was very, very focused.Isner was clearly disappointed he didnt get the jump on Cilic.The firrst set was critical.dddddddddddd Felt like I definitely was the better player in the first set. Didnt get paid off, but thats on me. He came up with the goods when he needed it. That gave him a lot of confidence, I think, Isner said.U.S. captain Jim Courier disagreed that momentum swayed in Croatias favor after Cilic pulled out the first set.Thats not the way we look at it. First sets can be critical ... these matches are won on small margins. There are a couple points that go our way, and were sitting here with a smile on our face instead of a little disappointment, Courier said.Unlike Fridays first singles match, when Cilic lost after leading Sock by two sets, the worlds No. 12-ranked player finished off Isner by breaking him in the ninth game to pull out a 6-4 win.Cilic is 6-0 against Isner.The 19-year-old Coric is becoming a reliable closer for Croatia. It was the second time this year Coric won a fifth and deciding match to win a Davis Cup tie.I have to be honest. I like that kind of situation, Coric said. I like it more than playing on Court 27 somewhere, somewhere far away from the crowd. I just like the big stage more, when its more important.After splitting the first two sets against Sock, Coric won the final two sets by breaking the Americans serves four times. Corics performance was decidedly stronger than his three-set loss to Isner on Friday.I was much more relaxed, Coric said. I was hitting the ball, going for the points. I just wasnt waiting for him to miss, because I knew I cannot play like that because hes going to kill me with the forehand.Sock, who beat Cilic in a five-setter Friday, was upbeat despite dropping the finale.Obviously, I had chances and opportunities that I didnt convert. Thats tennis. Some days its firing and some days theyre missing a little bit. He played a great match, Sock said.Croatia is 4-0 in Davis Cup ties against the United States. ' ' '