Nov. 7, 2010
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IOWA CITY, Iowa - Purdue women's soccer took a 2-0 lead behind goals from Kellie Phillips and Liz Secue, but Iowa stormed back with three unanswered scores in the game's final 25 minutes to defeat the Boilermakers, 3-2, in the season finale for both teams Saturday evening.
Phillips scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season and 12th career in the 20th minute. She also setup Secue's third goal of the season (and career) with a well-placed slot pass up the right flank in the 55th minute.
Iowa (8-9-3, 1-7-2 Big Ten) scored in the 65th, 69th and 82nd minutes. Rachel Blakesley and Alex Melin both headed in a corner kick just over three minutes apart to tie the game. Ashley Catrell accounted for the game-winner when she dribbled past a Purdue (6-12-2, 2-7-1 Big Ten) defender on the left flank and scored with a well-placed shot inside the left post.
The Hawkeyes' offensive flurry began not long after Gabrielle Ainsworth hit the left post with a penalty kick opportunity in the 60th minute with Purdue leading 2-0.
"It was dramatic fight back by Iowa," Purdue head coach Robert Klatte said. "We simply weren't competitive enough on the questions we faced on their corner kicks. Once we went up 2-0, we didn't have the battling mentality to win the initial corners. They probably had three or four uncontested headers [off the corners]. We were lucky that a few of them went wide. It was unfortunate that we allowed them to take advantage of their corners that provided them with their first two goals. Because we had received a bit of a second life after they missed the penalty kick.
"Overall we just have to improve in many facets of the game. We certainly did a lot of things well. But at the same time, we repeated some of the same mistakes after playing a very good first half. We were unable to match the intensity and demands of the game over 90 minutes. That's something our players are going to have to take on. And we as a coaching staff have to accept partial responsibility for it. We have to do a better job of preparing physically."
Mollie Kuramoto had the best opportunity to equalize in the waning minutes for Purdue. Her shot with a little over a minute remaining in regulation was initially kept of the net by an Iowa defender before the Hawkeyes were able to clear the ensuing rebound.
Alexis Tryba, meanwhile, also hit the goal framing for the Boilermakers, blasting a shot off the crossbar in the 14th minute while the game was still scoreless.
The victory for Iowa ended Purdue's four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) in the series dating back to 2006.
Mollie Kuramoto and Katie Leinert setup Phillips' goal, which came off a rebound near the right post. Kuramoto served in a right-to-left cross from the east sideline after a Purdue throw in. Leinert rose up and headed the ball on the edge of the six-yard box, forcing Iowa goalkeeper Emily Moran to make a diving save. Phillips hung with the action and was rewarded when the rebound came to her at point blank range at the right post.
About 10 minutes after the start of the second half, Phillips connected the long slot pass to Secue, who started at forward in her final collegiate game. The pace of the lead pass allowed Secue to break away from the Iowa defense, setting up an uncontested scoring opportunity against Moran. Secue hit a diagonal shot right-to-left across the 18-yard box that found its way inside the left post.
Moran was credited with 10 saves for Iowa. Purdue goalkeeper Carianne Betts finished with six saves in her final collegiate game. Betts' best save came in the final five minutes on a rising blast destined for the top right 90 off the foot of Alyssa Cosnek. Betts jumped and was able to get a hand on the shot to punch it over the crossbar for the last of Iowa's eight second-half corner kicks.
Tayler Francel, Jordan Frick, Brookley Rogers and Leinert went the distance among the Purdue field players. Shae Desmond logged 22 minutes to lead the reserves.
The Boilermakers will have to bid adieu to Roya Akhavain, Betts and Secue but are slated to return nine starters for the 2011 season.