DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton scored off a set piece twice in the opening 16 minutes, building an early lead and defeating Purdue women's soccer 3-0 Sunday afternoon.
The Boilermakers (2-4) enjoyed an advantage in the shot count (23-17) and number of corner kicks created (10-6), but Dayton goalkeeper Kaelyn Johns made eight saves to earn the shutout. Purdue was shut out in both games of its Labor Day Weekend road trip, getting blanked in consecutive games for only the second time under second-year head coach Drew Roff.
Free kicks in the sixth and 16th minutes led to goals for the Flyers (1-4) scored by Micayla Livingston and Libby Leedom. Livingston was credited with the game's first goal when she tapped the ball in at the right post after Sidney LeRoy's free kick from 30 yards out on the left flank was flicked past a sliding Erika Yohn by Alexis Kiehl.
LeRoy nearly scored the second goal herself when she floated another free kick from the left flank over a leaping Yohn. But Leedom was credited with the goal after the ball grazed the top of head of Leedom as she and Yohn rose up in the six-yard box. The ball actually cut through the right side netting of the goal, leading to a bit of uncertainty as the referees discussed the true outcome of the sequence.
Leedom's second goal was scored in the 87th minute after she dribbled through multiple Purdue defenders to set herself up with a shooting lane inside the 18-yard box.
Yohn's third save of four on the day came in the 84th minute when she stopped a penalty kick by Meghan Blank. Yohn dove to her left to make the save near the right post. Both Purdue goalkeepers have made a save on a penalty kick this year after Jordan Ginther stopped one in the season-opening win vs. Marshall.
Johns made quality saves in the fourth, 34th, 35th, 54th and 72nd minutes. She made diving stops, punch saves and a kick save while ranging off her line. Starting with Johns' diving save at the left post on a shot by Erika Arkans in the 34th minute, the Boilermakers had three shots and four corner kicks in a span of about 90 seconds but were unable to break through.
Megan Kaser, Vanessa Korolas, Gabby LaMere, Hannah Leinert and Hannah Mussallem went the distance among the Purdue field players. Arkans logged 66 minutes to lead the reserves and Gianna Milaro (52) also played more than half the game off the bench. Freshman Brady Riley made her first collegiate start, becoming the 18th Boilermaker to start a game this year. Purdue was without center back Dannah Williams, the sophomore missing her first collegiate game due to injury.
The Boilermakers return to action Friday when they close out their non-conference schedule by hosting Utah at 7 p.m.