Oct. 9, 2005
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Purdue beat Ohio State for only the second time in team history, winning 4-2 Sunday afternoon at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Jessica Okoroafo led the Boilermakers' offensive charge with two goals on six shots.
The win improved Purdue's overall record to 8-5 and its Big Ten record to 4-1, matching last season's conference win total. With the loss, Ohio State dropped to 5-6-2 and 2-4 in the Big Ten
"We outshot and outplayed them for most of the game, but there were some questionable moments for us, where we let them back in," said Purdue head coach Rob Klatte, whose Boilermakers had not beaten the Buckeyes since 2000.
Okoroafo scored both goals within a span of nine minutes in the first half. The freshman's first goal tied the game at 1-1, just two minutes and 38 seconds after Ohio State took the match's first lead. Jill Sarbaugh was credited with the assist after her cross from the left side was one-timed by Okoroafo inside the goal box.
Okoroafo's second goal was even more impressive. The score was initiated after goalkeeper Lauren Mason punched out a Melissa Miller free kick through traffic just behind the six-yard line. The ball found its way over to Rebecca Robison on the left side, who sent a looping pass across the width of the field, which found Okoroafo moving in stride.
The speedy rookie sprinted down the right side, then ran around two defenders in the goal box before blasting it past OSU goalkeeper Staci Sinkway, who had left the pipes to make the stop.
Okoroafo's goals were her eighth and ninth of the season, which tied Lauren Sesselmann's freshman season scoring mark.
Sarbaugh wrapped Purdue's first-half scoring run with a goal in the 34th minute. The sophomore midfielder punched back a Parrissa Eyorokon header that was partially blocked by a Buckeye defensive back.
Purdue outshot Ohio State in the first half, 14-5, forcing Sinkway to make five saves. Sinkway was replaced at the half by freshman Courntey Cripps.
Ohio State scored its first goal in the 16th minute after converting a Lisa Collison corner kick. Collison's kick landed near the far post where Caitlin Coffer settled and lifted it up to Miller, who headed the ball over Mason's fingertips. Mason finished the first half with just one save, and four for the match.
After falling silent for the remainder of the first half, Ohio State's offense woke up in the 61st minute on a top-shelf goal from Taylor Smith. The assist was provided by Carleta Arbulu, who spun around a Purdue defensive back around the left side of the 18-yard box then slotted it across the grass to Taylor.
Ohio State continued to receive great opportunities to tie the match late in the second period, but failed to convert its three corner kicks or the four free kicks that were taken deep in Purdue's defensive end.
Mason wrapped one free kick at the post, while another two were headed out by Sesselmann and Jordyn Shaffer. Ohio State's best chance at an equalizer came in the 78th minute, but a left-side cross intended for Lara Dickenmann took a funny bounce and was cleared by the Boilermaker back line.
Purdue reclaimed its two-goal lead in the 82nd minute after Parrissa Eyorokon knocked in a Kalie Grambeau shot that richocheted off the bottom of the cross bar. The goal was Eyorokon's first of the season and Grambeau's thrid assist.
OSU continued to press in the closing minutes, but Mason came through with an outstanding sliding save on a Dickenmann shot taken from point-blank range.
Purdue scored more goals Sunday against Ohio State than it had in its previous ten meetings. Entering today's contest, the Boilermakers had been outscored by the Buckeyes, 14-3.
Purdue's schedule doesn't get any easier next weekend as it continues its three-game road swing with trips to Wisconsin (Oct. 14) and Northwestern (Oct. 16). The Boilermakers' next home contest is a 3 p.m. match against Iowa on Friday, Oct. 21.