Sept. 5, 2004
LINCOLN, Neb. - The Purdue Boilermakers were unable to overcome a fast start by the Nebraska Cornhuskers, falling 3-0 to the 22nd-ranked Cornhuskers in front of 293 fans at the Ethel S. Abbott Sports Complex.
The loss drops Purdue to 2-2-0 on the season while Nebraska improves to 3-1-0.
"We were timid for a good portion of the game," head coach Rob Klatte said. "I don't think we were not as good as Nebraska, but they attacked the game more and set themselves up better than we did.
"Our younger players need to learn to attack from the start, and the older players need more repetition at what we are asking. This game showed we need players who are willing to step up and lead, because the Big Ten teams will attack like Nebraska did today."
The Cornhuskers struck early, scoring their first goal at the 0:52 mark of the game on a shot by Nikki Baker, her second goal of the year. Baker scored from 15 yards after Purdue keeper Maureen Carey (Sr., Wheaton, Ill.) was unable to control a ball played into the 18-yard box by Baker.
The quick goal barely missed records on both sides of the field. The quickest goal in NU program history was scored at 0:37 on Oct. 20, 2002, by Baker in a game against Baylor. Purdue's quickest goal allowed was at 0:45 in a game vs. SMU on Sept. 2, 2001.
With winds gusting up to 30mph and a heavy rain falling in the faces of the Boilermakers, Nebraska added their second goal on a shot from eight yards by Brittany Tomko with an assist to Lindsey Ingram.
In the second half, the rain cleared but the Nebraska attack did not as the Cornhuskers added their third goal on a 25-yard blast off the foot of Timko that beat keeper Lauren Mason (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) to the upper right corner.
Purdue was out-shot in the opening stanza, 7-3, with one Boilermaker shot on goal against four on target for the Cornhuskers. For the contest, Nebraska attempted 14 shots with seven on goal to the Boilermakers' 11 shots and four on net.
"This week we will be working on several small areas of the game," Klatte said. "We need to improve on our aggressiveness and learn to want to attack. There are times where we would take three or four touches when all we needed was one or two. We need to work on that before the next weekend."
The Boilermakers return home to host the Clash of the Conferences beginning Friday, Sept. 9, at the Purdue Varsity Soccer Complex. The Boilermakers take on Miami (Ohio) at 4 p.m. while Illinois plays Wright State at the same time in first-day action.