Oct. 21, 2007
By David Brienza
Purdue sports information student assistant
‎
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Sunday's season-record crowd of 1,138 witnessed No. 5 Purdue (14-‎‎1-2, 6-0-1 Big Ten) extend its home winning streak to 11 - and unbeaten streak to 15 - with a 2-1 ‎victory over Illinois (9-5-1, 4-3-1 Big Ten) at the Varsity Soccer Complex.‎
Purdue's goals were scored by seniors Shauna Stapleton and Parrissa Eyorokon in the 65th and ‎‎67th minutes. Jessica Levitt lit the Illinois side of the scoreboard with five seconds remaining in the ‎match after the Boilermakers failed to clear a loose ball out of the goal mouth.‎
Stapleton's goal came off a penalty kick, which was her second successful attempt in as many ‎tries this season. Stapleton drove her shot into the lower right corner past goalkeeper Lindsey ‎Carstens, who correctly read the ball's direction but could not catch it.‎
The Boilermakers' score was their first against Illinois since 2005; it also snapped the Illini's five-‎match conference shutout streak.‎
Purdue was awarded the penalty kick after senior midfielder Kaile Grambeau was pushed in the ‎back inside the 18-yard box. Grambeau was going for a ball in the air and battling with an Illinois ‎defender.‎
The goal was Stapleton's eighth of the season, keeping her atop the team leaderboard with 23 ‎points. Eyorokon is second with 21 points on nine goals and three assists.‎
Eyorokon's goal Sunday may have been her prettiest of the season. ‎
The eventual game-winning score was initiated by a throw-in by freshman defensive back Liz ‎Secue, who was making her first collegiate start. Secue's throw hit sophomore Loredana Riverso, ‎who raced the ball from the near sideline toward midfield, where she hooked up with Eyorokon.‎
Riverso perfectly played the ball through two Illini defenders inside the 18-yard box and hit ‎Eyorokon in motion. Eyorokon promptly drilled a one-timer into the back of the net after receiving ‎the pass.‎
‎"I was very happy with our second-half response, which I think was assisted by our great crowd," ‎said head coach Rob Klatte. "We were quite lethargic in the first half and played back on our ‎heels, which is what you don't want to do against a talented Illinois team. This was a key victory ‎for us in going after the Big Ten title."‎
Purdue's road to the conference crown, which includes games against Ohio State, Penn State ‎and Indiana, got bumpier with the news of Jill Sarbaugh's injury.‎
Sarbaugh was helped off the field by athletic trainers and physicians following a collision near the ‎goal line with an Illini defender. Klatte said Sarbaugh would be examined over the next two days ‎by team doctors, but his words did not offer much promise.‎
‎"Jill's loss is a tragedy," said Klatte. "Her absence is going to leave a huge hole in our offense, but ‎it gives other players the chance to really step up in her place."‎
Illinois outshot Purdue 22-11, but placed only three shots on goal. The Illini also received eight ‎corner kick opportunities to the Boilermakers' two, but couldn't generate many chances in spite of ‎the numerous opportunities.‎
Carrianne Betts made her first collegiate start in goal and made one save through 12:30. Jenny ‎Bradfisch made one save over the final 77:30.‎
Purdue heads to Happy Valley Friday night with first-place on the line vs. the Nittany Lions. The ‎Boilermakers gained control of the conference standings by one point, 19-18, following Penn ‎State's 1-0 loss to Minnesota Sunday. PSU is 12-3-1 and 6-1-0 in the Big Ten.‎
Next Sunday's opponent, Ohio State, is in fifth place at 4-3 following its 1-0 overtime loss to Iowa. ‎The Buckeyes' overall record is 10-6.‎
Both road games will be broadcast live over the world wide web at purduesports.com.‎
Notes
Purdue's win over Illinois snapped a two-match series losing streak and was only its third in 12 ‎meetings (3-7-2) ... the attendance of 1,138 brought the Boilermakers' season attendance total to ‎‎5,164; Purdue has averaged 397 fans through 13 home dates ... Parrissa Eyorokon played in her ‎‎80th career match, making her one of only eight Boilermakers to reach that plateau ... with 11 ‎home wins in 2007, Purdue broke last year's program record of 10 ... with 14 wins, Purdue tied a ‎program record for most wins in a season; the 2003 and 2006 clubs also won 14 games ... ‎today's match was the 200th in program history - the Boilermakers all-time record is now at 110-‎‎72-18 (.595) ... Stapleton and Eyorokon are the first Boilermakers to both score 20 points in a ‎season since Lauren Sesselmann (23) and Jessica Okoroafo did it in 2005 ... Purdue has scored ‎two or more goals in six of seven Big Ten games and in 13 of 17 matches this season.‎