Oct. 14, 2007
By David Brienza
Purdue sports information student assistant
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - No. 8 Purdue (13-1-2; 5-0-1 Big Ten) posted its third-straight unbeaten Big Ten weekend following a 3-1 win over Minnesota (6-6-1; 2-3 Big Ten) Sunday at the Varsity Soccer Complex. Parrissa Eyorokon set the tone for the Boilermaker offense, scoring 41 seconds after the opening whistle.
Purdue beat Minnesota for the seventh-straight year ¬- it's longest streak against one opponent - and in the process, finished with a winning conference record for the third consecutive season.
"This was a good performance against a difficult team with a very direct style of play," said head coach Rob Klatte, who has led this program to eight-consecutive Big Ten Tournament berths. "They (Minnesota) presented us with a hundred questions and we answered 99 of them; we allowed one misplayed service but we dealt with it, refocused and fought back."
Eyorokon's goal, her team-leading eighth of the season, was initiated by a Shauna Stapleton corner kick. Stapleton's kick sailed wide of the goal mouth where it was claimed by Jill Sarbaugh, who sent the ball back into the 18-yard box.
Christy Riggle deflected the ball to the ground, and Eyorokon fired an eight-yard strike past Minnesota goalkeeper Chelsea Turner.
Eyorokon earned her third point of the day and fifth of the weekend, providing one of two assists on Jess Okoroafo's eventual game-winner in the 34th minute.
Defensive back Jessica Stellhorn sent in a deep ball, which was tracked down by Eyorokon in the far corner. Eyorokon shook off a defender and dropped the ball back to Okoroafo, who buried it in from atop the six-yard box.
The goal gave Purdue a 2-0 lead and ended Turner's day in goal as she lasted 33 minutes and 46 seconds. Lindsay Dare followed and allowed one second-half score.
Purdue peppered the Minnesota defense in the first half with nine shots, but recorded only four in the second half as it adjusted its alignment to handle a rabid Gopher attack.
Minnesota lit its side of the scoreboard two minutes after halftime on a goal from Katie Bethke. She was assisted by Kylie Kallman and Katie Shelander.
Purdue, which traditionally plays a 4-3-3, bulked up on defense and moved to a 4-5-1. The added midfielders allowed for a greater time of possession as Minnesota recorded just two shots over the remaining 40 minutes and change.
Minnesota's opportunity to tie the match in the 63rd minute was derailed by Purdue goalkeeper Jenny Bradfisch, who made a diving save to her left on a shot taken by Lindsey Schwartz.
Shauna Stapleton provided Purdue's lone shot on goal in the second half in the 84th minute, but she made it count and gave her club some much-needed breathing room.
Loredana Riverso brought the ball down the sideline and into Purdue territory before hitting it off a defender and in the direction of Kalie Grambeau. Standing atop the 18-yard line, Grambeau dropped the ball back to Stapleton, who then side-stepped a defender and let loose a rocket that Dare could not catch.
"The ball came right back to my foot from Kalie, and the defender was moving fast, so I switched to my left foot and fired it across from the back post and in," said Stapleton, who leads all Boilermakers with 21 points on seven goals and seven assists.
The Boilermakers' next match is its biggest of the season as they play host to Illinois on Senior Day. The match, scheduled for 1 p.m. next Sunday, Oct. 21, will be televised live by the Big Ten Network.
Purdue soccer wants all Boilermaker fans in attendance for the clash of conference foes with hopes of breaking the Varsity Soccer Complex's attendance record of 1,256, which was set against Cincinnati in August of 2004.