Aug. 26, 2005
By Dwight Henderson
Purdue Sports Information
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Cal Poly survived 23 shots, nine on goal, to beat Purdue 1-0 Friday afternoon at the Varsity Soccer Complex. The win advances the Mustangs into Sunday's Boilermaker Challenge Cup championship match against Detroit Mercy, which defeated DePaul, 3-0.
Friday's matches were the first for all four competing clubs.
Sharon Day scored the game-winner in the 76th minute, knocking a loose ball from near the goal line. Sarah Squires set up the goal with her corner kick, which bounced off several defenders before Day connected.
Cal Poly was awarded the corner after Amber Henkle's attempt to clear Day's cross was headed out of bounds.
The loss was a true heartbreaker for the Boilermakers, who controlled 95 percent of the match both offensively and defensively. In the first period, Purdue outshot Cal Poly, 13-3, and 10-6 in the second frame; the Boilermakers also failed on eight corner kicks, including seven taken in the first half.
Perhaps it wasn't the Boilermakers who were having a bad day, maybe it was Mustang goalkeeper Jessica Murray having a great one. Murray zeroed in on every Boilermaker attack, finishing the contest with seven saves. Cal Poly also was credited with two team saves.
Murray's defensive line made some clutch plays, primarily center back Serra Simmons who defeated several Boilermakers in one vs. one situations.
In the closing minutes of the first half, Purdue was presented with ample scoring opportunities, but Lauren Sesselmann was picked off by Murray, a Shauna Stapleton shot was blocked, and a Kim Comisar blast sailed high. Prior to that flurry, a Cal Poly defensive wall, established atop the 18-yard line, stopped a Parrissa Eyorokon free kick.
Purdue experienced more bad luck in the second period. A Sesselmann feed to Jessica Okoroafo in the box was scooped by a sliding Murray, and a slot pass from Sarbaugh intended for Shauna Stapleton missed its target by mere inches. In a one vs. one situation late in the match, Sarbaugh was knocked off course by Cal Poly's Alix Cohen.
The Boilermakers' final scoring chance was a Sarbaugh corner kick lined into the side of the net.
Purdue's defense played solidly through most of the match. Early in the first half, freshman Amy Burrell interfered with Becky Clark as she attempted to head in a goal;Christy Riggle cleared a cross from Day out of the goal box with 15 minutes remaining.
Boilermaker goalkeeper Lauren Mason made three saves on nine shots, including a brilliant save at the right post as Day tried to head a Leah Morales corner.
The loss places Purdue in the Boilermaker Challenge Cup consolation match against DePaul Sunday at 1 p.m. The Boilermakers are 5-0 all-time vs. the Blue Demons, last meeting in the first round of the 2003 NCAA tournament.