Oct. 27, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Purdue goalkeeper Lauren Mason has made 217 saves in her career, but none was bigger than the one she made Thursday night in Bloomington to preserve a 1-1 tie between the Boilermakers and Hoosiers. The tie keeps "The Golden Boot" in West Lafayette for a sixth-consecutive year.
With less than a minute remaining in the second overtime, Purdue's Jordyn Shaffer was yellow carded for a handball inside the goal box, which set up a Molly Kruger penalty kick. Last Friday, Purdue lost under similar circumstances to Iowa, but this time there would be no deja vu.
"There was no pressure on me, it was all on her (Kruger)," said Mason. "All I had to do was keep my focus and just get a hand on it. It was a good shot."
The tie brought Purdue's overall record to 11-6-1 and 7-2-1 in the Big Ten Conference, clinching the No. 2 seed for the conference's tournament. The Boilermakers first-round opponent, which could be Indiana, will be determined after Friday's Big Ten matches. Indiana concluded its season at 7-9-1, 3-6-1.
"As much as I wanted us to win, we still find ourselves in a great spot for the tournament and for hosting the NCAAs," said head coach Rob Klatte, whose team has not lost to IU since 1999. "Going to the Big Ten tournament was one of our goals, so were happy to be there for a sixth-straight year. It's even better that we have a week to prepare ourselves."
Purdue scored first in the 24th minute after a Kim Comisar corner kick was headed in by defensive back Kira Bilecky. The goal was Bilecky's first of the season and her first since heading in the game-winner against Minnesota in September of 2004. For Comisar, it was her sixth assist of the season.
Overall, in the first half, Indiana limited the Boilermakers to just four shots. Purdue played well with the ball on defense and at midfield, but had trouble crossing it into the 18-yard box, making it tough for Lauren Sesselmann, Jessica Okoroafo and Parrissa Eyorokon to receive and send crosses.
Indiana took seven shots during the opening period, five of which were saved by Mason, whose toughest save in regulation was catching a pop header by Suzie Teixeira through traffic in the six-yard box. Sunday, in Purdue's 3-1 win over Illinois, Mason tied a career high with 10 saves. Mason finished Thursday's match with six saves, as did her IU counterpart Lauren Fabbro.
IU came back to tie the score after a Purdue defender was called for a push foul deep in Hoosier territory. Robin Barker took the free kick from about 35-yards back on the left side, which skipped off Ali Brown to Kristen Zmijewski, who punched the ball over Mason's head.
The game-tying score perhaps shouldn't have been, because the Boilermakers had several scoring chances spoiled by the Hoosiers midway through the second half. Fabbro made a clutch save on a Sesselmann shot taken inside the six-yard box and also caught a Comisar free kick. Purdue also was called offsides twice and had three corner kicks cleared out.
Early in the second frame, Okoroafo had a pair of open looks at net, both of which were closed quickly by Fabbro's quick hands.
IU outshot its instate rival in the second half, 8-5, but had trouble putting shots on frame as Fabbro outsaved Mason, 5-1.
The scoring chances continued to present themselves to the Boilermakers in the first overtime, but Fabbro and her defensive teammates continue to make the big stops. Sesselmann attempted to send in a pair of back-to-back crosses to Okoroafo, but the first was headed back and the second was caught by the IU netminder. Comisar tried to win the game on a direct free kick, but Fabbro picked it out of the sky, leaping over a Purdue attacker in the six-yard box.
Indiana had a chance to walk away with the boot late in the first overtime with a corner kick in the final minute; however, the Boilermakers were able to head it back upfield to send the match into double overtime.
The match was Purdue's fourth overtime contest of the season, and its third double-overtime in the last four games. The Boilermakers overtime record this season is 1-2-1.
Purdue's next stop is the Big Ten Tournament, which begins next Thursday, Nov. 3. The Boilermakers' opponent will be determined following Friday night's conference matchups.